Vietinbank Provides Vinacomin’s Bauxite Project in Central Highland With US$100 MlnJanuary 30, 2012 (Vietnamica) – Vietinbank has signed a credit contract with Vinacomin to finance Nhan Co Aluminum Complex US$100 million. This is a part to a credit package of VND6,000 billion (US$300 million) (VnExpress, Jan 30).
January 25, 2012 (by George Friedman, Stratfor; Repub. by Vietnamica) — Last week, I wrote on the strategic challenge Iran faces in its bid to shape a sphere of influence stretching from western Afghanistan to Beirut on the eastern Mediterranean coast. I also pointed out the limited options available to the United States and other Western powers to counter Iran.
January 24, 2012 (Vietnamica) — The European Union imposed an embargo on Iranian oil (Reuters), banning all new contracts, while honoring existing agreements until July 1. The move is part of a broader Western effort to sanction Iran over its nuclear program (BBC), which the United States and the EU contend is for the manufacturing of nuclear weapons. Earlier this month, Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz–a vital passageway for much of the world’s oil–in response to new sanctions. Meanwhile, U.S., British, and French warships passed through the strait without facing any confrontation.
January 17, 2012 (Vietnamica) — The wholesale market gold price reached new 5-week highs as Asian trade ended and London opened on Tuesday, while global stock markets and commodity prices also rose after stronger-than-expected growth data from China. The world’s second-largest economy, China reported annual growth of 8.9% for the end of 2011 – the weakest level since mid-2009 but stronger than analysts forecast and almost 5 times the pace of US growth at last count.
January 17, 2012 (By George Friedman, Stratfor; Repub. by Vietnamica) — The United States reportedly sent a letter to Iran via multiple intermediaries last week warning Tehran that any attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz constituted a red line for Washington. The same week, a chemist associated with Iran’s nuclear program was killed in Tehran. In Ankara, Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani met with Turkish officials and has been floating hints of flexibility in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
Vietnam Increases Oil Product Import Quota by 1.2 Pct to 10.1 Mln Cubic MetersJanuary 13, 2012 (Vietnamica) — Vietnam has increased its oil products import quota for 2012 by 1.2% to 10.1 million cubic meters from 9.978 million cu m in 2011 (Platt, Jan 13).
