January budget deficit at $184m
Viet Nam's budget deficit in January was VND3.87 trillion (US$184 million), with spending topping VND65.37 trillion ($3.11 billion), according to the Ministry of Finance.
It included public expenditure of VND11.4 trillion (nearly $453 million).
The ministry attributed a fall in revenues to the Tet festival and slowdown in manufacturing activity.
Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam (Viet Nam Economic Times)
Study to consider La Son-Tuy Loan expressway
The Ministry of Transport has approved a feasibility study for the 80-kilometre-long La Son-Tuy Loan expressway between Thua Thien-Hue Province and Da Nang city in the central region.
The VND21 trillion (US$1 billion) highway will be developed under the build-transfer form.
The four-lane expressway will allow vehicles to travel at 60-80 kilometres per hour. Construction is expected to begin in the middle of this year and be completed in 2015.
Tuoi Tre (Youth)