HANOI -- Growth in Vietnam's real gross domestic product slowed to 2.58% in 2021, government data showed on Wednesday, dropping from 2.91% the year before as the coronavirus pandemic casts a long shadow over one of Southeast Asia's key economies.
The numbers from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam confirm the country has fallen well short of its 6.5% growth target for the year, with consumer spending declining sharply amid prolonged COVID-19 curbs on movement even as exports remained solid.
