The Property Report Congress is being organised in Việt Nam for the first time today, and Việt Nam News asked property specialists attending it about the country’s property market, especially the opportunities and challenges as the country continues to integrate and recently began to allow foreigners to buy property.

Oil and gas stocks led a rise in both bourses yesterday. Positive investor confidence strengthened local stocks, Sài Gòn-Hà Nội Securities Corp (SHS) wrote in its daily report.

State Bank of Việt Nam’s (SBV’s) newly amended regulations on prudential ratios for the operation of credit institutions and foreign bank branches have provided significant relief to real estate investors.

The Republic of Korea plans to provide ODA loans worth US$1.5 billion to Việt Nam during the 2016-2020 period, with the focus on large-scale infrastructure, railways, health and information technology.

The official real estate index, which should have been set up earlier this year, has been delayed while real estate enterprises and associations have continued to provide their own indexes.

As the country’s economic hub, HCM City is where the action is for many industries, including property. Việt Nam News reporter Thu Ngân speaks with Lê Hoàng Châu, chairman of the HCM City Real Estate Association, about the city's property market.

The Government is continuing with its efforts to boost the social housing development. While the disbursement of the housing stimulus package worth VNĐ30 trillion (US$1.43 billion) in preferential loans, which was due to be completed by the end of last month, was finally extended by the central bank, the policies for social housing development and purchase are now eyeing long-term measures.

The Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCM City (HAWA) has projected exports of wooden products to reach US$7.2 billion this year, up from $6.9 billion last year.

Property developers have started constructing coastal projects in the central city in response to the rising prices of coastal property following the stagnant period in 2013-15.