Hanoi, Vietnam, March 6 -- The Southeast Asian nation licensed 620 new projects with total registered capital of US$3.54 billion, up 61.5 percent in terms of value.

Meanwhile, foreign investors increased investment capital by US$1.99 billion to the 180 existing projects, down 52.3 percent against the same period last year.

Foreign investors also conducted 492 capital contribution and share purchase transactions with a combined value of US$499.5 million, down 5.7 percent year-on-year.

The amount of disbursed FDI was estimated to reach five-year high of US$3.21 billion, a year-on-year increase of 8.8 percent.

By sector, manufacturing and processing attracted the largest volume of newly registered FDI with US$2.63 billion, followed by whol...