The Business Confidence Index (BCI) of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) reached 78.3 points in the third quarter of 2026, remaining historically high despite global economic uncertainties, the association announced on October 15.
The survey found that 64% of respondents described current business conditions as good or very good, while 28% maintained a neutral or cautious outlook. This reflected a wait-and-see attitude as international demand remained flat and businesses looked for policy momentum to produce faster procedures and more predictable outcomes.
Sectoral analysis revealed a more varied picture. The agriculture and food value chain recorded the strongest improvement, rising 11.7 points to 83.9 despite pressure from input costs and competition from regional imports. Trade, logistics and consumer goods remained strong. By contrast, tourism and hospitality fell 22.5 points to 67.9 after a strong previous quarter.
Target markets also influenced confidence. Businesses focused on Vietnam recorded 80.4 points, compared with 73.2 among EU-focused firms, 70.7 among US-focused firms and 73.9 among ASEAN-focused firms. The survey did not establish a single cause for these differences.
“Vietnam is on a remarkable winning streak. With GDP growing by 9.95% year on year in Q3 and by 9.01% over the first nine months, the country is moving closer to its ambition of double-digit growth at a time of considerable global uncertainty,” EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert said.
He said the task was to make growth more tangible across the economy by improving predictability, strengthening resilience and consolidating reforms, enabling businesses to devote more energy to creating value.
EuroCham said the BCI findings provided a basis for cooperation with Vietnamese policymakers to make regulations more predictable and strengthen links between foreign investors and domestic enterprises. The chamber also said it would support Vietnam's pursuit of competitive, inclusive and sustainable growth.
Confidence in Vietnam's future remained strong. Nine in ten respondents would recommend Vietnam as an investment destination, while 63% planned to operate in the country for more than five years and 23% looked beyond a 20-year horizon.
Vietnam's appeal included its workforce, competitive costs, political and macroeconomic stability, domestic market, free-trade-agreement network and strategic position amid global supply-chain shifts. Nearly one in five respondents recognised the Government's commitment to sustainable growth, with this consideration more prominent among large enterprises.
As businesses reconsidered supply chains in response to global tensions and shifting trade relationships, Vietnam was increasingly positioned as a strategic hub connecting regional growth with global markets. Registered foreign direct investment reached 50.36 billion USD in the first nine months of 2026, while disbursed investment reached 21.07 billion USD, a five-year high.
Large enterprises brought scale to manufacturing, infrastructure development and the green transition. Small and medium-sized enterprises contributed specialised technologies, innovation, expertise and employment, often creating economic value beyond the scale of their investments.
Resolution No. 10/NQ-TW, dated June 8, 2026, on the development of the foreign-invested economy offered an opportunity to strengthen these complementary contributions. It emphasised investment quality, technology transfer, innovation and domestic supply chains, taking into account not only capital attracted but also capabilities, knowledge and opportunities created within Vietnam's economy.
EuroCham noted that the opportunity was to help large investors and SMEs grow together.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
