March 24 Morning Briefing: President Trump Announces Delay in Attack on Iran’s Energy Infrastructure; Oil Prices Plunge

Macroeconomic News

• United States: On March 23, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would order the military to postpone attacks on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, following discussions with Tehran.
• U.S. - Iran: According to Fars News Agency, the increasing trend of attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure has raised concerns about supply disruptions and broader economic impacts if the conflict persists.
• South Korea: The exchange rate between the won and the USD rose above 1,510 won/USD during morning trading on March 23, the highest level since the 2008 global financial crisis.
• Vietnam: As part of his official visit to the Russian Federation, on the morning of March 23 (local time; afternoon of the same day in Hanoi), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a high-level Vietnamese delegation visited and held working sessions with Novatek—a leading Russian and global corporation in the natural gas sector.
• Vietnam: Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra signed Decision No. 463/QD-TTg on March 22, 2026, issuing the Implementation Plan for the “Strengthening Private Enterprise Development and Enhancing State-Owned Enterprise Efficiency” Competition Campaign (the Plan).
• Vietnam: Vietnam Airlines plans to cut 23 flights per week. The airline has already reduced some flights and is developing a plan to impose fuel surcharges on international routes, which may take effect from early April 2026.

• Vietnam Stock Market: Modest liquidity indicates conflicting market sentiment; investors should watch the VN-Index’s next support level around 1,535 points.
• U.S. stocks surged on March 23 after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. and Iran had held talks and decided to postpone attacks on Tehran’s energy facilities.
• Oil prices fell sharply on March 23 after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington and Tehran had engaged in “positive” exchanges and decided to suspend attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure for five days.
• Gold prices continued their downward trend on March 23 but recovered significantly following signs of easing tensions with Iran, which helped improve investor sentiment.
• MBB: Since the beginning of 2026, MB Bank has actively repurchased nearly 22.1 million bonds ahead of maturity, with a repurchase value at par of nearly 6 trillion VND.
• SHB: The State Securities Commission (SSC) has granted SHB a registration certificate for a public offering of shares to existing shareholders. Next, the bank will finalize the shareholder list to exercise the right to purchase shares.
• LCG: Amid a sharp rise in material prices since the beginning of 2026, Lizen Joint Stock Company has approved a plan to invest 51% of the capital in a company operating the Son Ha stone quarry in Phu Tho.