Vietnam’s retail sales rose 14.9% year-on-year in August 2026, accelerating from 14.5% growth in July and marking the strongest increase since January 2023. Retail sales of goods, which represented about three-quarters of total activity, increased 12.8% year-on-year in the first eight months. Accommodation and catering revenue rose 16.4%, while travel services jumped 17.1%. Gems, precious metals and related products recorded the fastest growth among major retail categories, increasing 28.1% over the same period, with other goods and wood and construction materials also posting strong gains. Automobile sales fell both month-on-month and year-on-year in August. Total retail sales of goods and consumer services increased 1.6% from July. For the first eight months, total retail sales reached VND5,235.5 trillion, up 13.3% year-on-year, while growth excluding price effects was 7.6%.