The general hospital in Ninh Thuan Province on Tuesday cut a doctor’s salary, reprimanded another doctor and two nurses who last month falsely informed that a baby was born dead.

Doctor Tran Thi Hong Hoa, head of the night shift on Nov.11 at the hospital’s Obstetrics Department, had her payment cut while doctor Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan and nurses Le Thi Hong Van, Nguyen Thi Tuyet received warning notes. The hospital didn’t specify how much will be cut from Hoa’s salary. Tran Phuc, director of the hospital in the south central province, said a baby was born prematurely on that night with low weight and slow heart beat. Phuc blamed the team on duty for being “ignorant and irresponsible” as they “hastily” concluded that the baby was dead. The family had brought the baby home to hold its funeral, but found that it was still alive. The baby was taken to Ho Chi Minh City’s Pediatric Hospital No.1 for treatment and is reportedly getting better. Reported by Thien Nhan

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The Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange moved lower Tuesday over growing concern about negative corporate earnings this year.

VN-Index lost 5.05 points, or 1.62 percent, to close at a 10-day low of 307.13. Of its 175 members, 26 gained and 113 declined. Trading remained quiet, with only 7.7 million shares being traded. “The outlook on corporate earnings is very gloomy, given the current economic situation,” Huynh Anh Tuan, chief executive officer of the Ho Chi Minh City-based SJC Securities, said. “Companies have started to release 2008 earnings and many of them have made losses or missed their profit targets. For those who managed to make some profit, it was because of the gains they made in the first half of 2008. “In addition, people also lost a lot of their confidence in the market after HSBC said the Vietnamese market is no longer investable for overseas investors. “Besides, almost half of January has passed but we are still not yet clear how and when the government is going to implement its US$6 billion stimulus package to boost the economy. So, the market has no momentum.” Dau Tu Chung Khoan (Securities investment) newspaper quoted Kim Long Securities Company Deputy General Director Pham Vinh Thanh as saying, “Companies with a strong cash flow and those not involved in finance are a good choice this year.” He added that petroleum, transport, technology and financial stocks would be his top picks when the market shows signs of recovery, without explaining his choices. How they fared Vinpearl (VPL) lost VND2,500, or 4.17 percent, to close at VND57,500. VFG Investment Joint Stock Company became a major shareholder in the resort operator after buying 5,045,000 shares, or a 5.05 percent stake last month, according to a report on the exchange’s website. Saigon Securities Inc. (SSI), the country’s leading brokerage, slipped VND1,100, or 3.63 percent, to VND29,200. ANZ Bank failed to buy around 1.4 million shares amid a “gloomy market and its low liquidity,” the exchange said on its website. ANZ now holds 18.35 percent in the Hanoi- based brokerage. Thu Duc Trading and Import Export Joint Stock Company (TMC) remained unchanged at VND21,500. The firm said on the exchange’s website that retail investor La Tang Duc bought 242,060 shares, or 6.05 percent, to become a major shareholder. Saigon Fishing Net Joint-Stock Company (SFN), a silk thread and fishing net producer, gained VND400, or 4.2 percent, its most in two weeks, to finish at VND9,900. The HCMC-based company will start buying back 100,000 shares from January 20, according to a stock exchange announcement. “The buyback volume is not huge, but given the daily trading volume of the shares, which is about several thousand a day, this buyback plan could move the stock,” Hoang Thach Lan, chief analyst at HCMC-based SME Securities Company, said. Reported by Hoang Uy

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Swiss and German institutes will help Vietnam train international marketing and export management experts in an attempt to improve the image of local businesses in the global market.

Switzerland-based European Institute of Foreign Trade and German Reutlingen University’s Export Academy will collaborate with TFF (Training For the Future), a Vietnamese business training school, to offer courses from April. A TFF official told Thanh Nien Daily Tuesday the 18-month courses, partly funded by the Swiss government, would offer essential knowledge about marketing and export skills in an international setting. Those who complete the courses will obtain masters degrees in international marketing and export management. Reported by Minh Quang

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