Việt Nam posts trade deficit of 16.65 billion USD in first six months

Việt Nam posts trade deficit of 16.65 billion USD in first six months

Overall, total trade turnover in the first six months of 2026 stood at $549.7 billion, up 27.1 per cent compared with the same period last year, of which exports rose 21 per cent and imports increased 33.4 per cent.

A container is lifted by crane during cargo handling operations at a port terminal in Hải Phòng, northern Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo

Việt Nam’s total import–export turnover in June reached US$104.2 billion, up 5.2 per cent month-on-month and 36.3 per cent year-on-year, according to a socio-economic report for the second quarter and first half of 2026 released on July 3 by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance.

Overall, total trade in the first six months stood at $549.69 billion, up 27.1 per cent year-on-year, driven by strong growth in both exports and imports.

Exports rose 21 per cent to $266.5 billion, while imports increased 33.4 per cent to $283.2 billion, reflecting stronger production activity and rising input demand, particularly in the foreign-invested sector, according to the NSO.

During the period, 29 export items recorded a turnover of above $1 billion, accounting for 92.1 per cent of total exports, including five items exceeding $10 billion and making up 62.6 per cent.

In June alone, export turnover reached $50.8 billion, up 8.2 per cent month-on-month, while imports stood at $53.4 billion, up 2.5 per cent.

Export growth was led by the foreign-invested sector, which continued to account for the majority share, while domestic enterprises also posted steady gains.

In the second quarter, exports reached $143.6 billion, up 22.7 per cent year-on-year.

By structure, processed industrial goods remained the dominant export category, accounting for the vast majority of shipments, followed by agricultural goods, seafood, and fuels and minerals.

On the import side, capital goods such as machinery and equipment continued to make up the bulk of purchases, alongside raw materials for production, while consumer goods accounted for a small share.

For the first half, Việt Nam recorded a trade deficit of $16.7 billion, compared with a surplus in the same period last year, as imports grew faster than exports. 

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