While the Vietnamese manufacturing sector remained in growth territory in November, a renewed wave of the Covid-19 pandemic clouds the near-term outlook for firms.

Firms remained optimistic that output will rise over the coming year, based on hopes that the pandemic will fade and new orders expand.

The total demand for steel in Vietnam’s manufacturing sector by 2030 would be $310 billion, which remains a huge market for the local steel industry, especially machine steel or high-quality carbon steel.

Business conditions strengthened to the greatest extent in just over a year.

The bright spot in the latest PMI survey was employment, which increased at the fastest pace in three and a half years.