Calls for lower lending rates, amid still-high funding costs, have placed the banking sector in an acutely difficult position. However, with solid profitability, together with notable gains in digitalisation and productivity, the time has now come for banks to decisively translate this room for manoeuvre into lower funding costs for the broader economy.

The profit “picture” of the banking sector in the first half of 2026 continues to reveal many bright spots. Positive business results at many banks show that growth momentum has come not only from credit, but also from services, digital transformation, stronger capital foundations and asset quality control.

A succession of natural disasters in 2025 not only caused severe economic damage but also undermined the livelihoods of millions of households. In that context, the banking system has acted as a financial pillar, helping to unblock capital flows, restore production and rebuild lives.

In the process of building the master plan for the Capital Ha Noi with a 100-year vision, a key content is to establish Ha Noi’s role as the center, the coordinating nucleus and the driving force for development of the entire Ha Noi Capital Region and the expanded linked spaces.

Deputy Minister of Justice Phan Chi Hieu called on Ha Noi to urgently review and coordinate with relevant ministries to propose major and truly necessary mechanisms and policies to address existing “bottlenecks”, while creating breakthrough development for the Capital in the coming period.

On December 19, Ha Noi simultaneously broke ground on seven major investment projects and large-scale construction works, creating a vibrant emulation movement and spreading confidence and expectations for a new phase of development of the capital.