Hanoi, Aug. 3 -- International institutions have described Vietnam's economic performance in the first half of 2026 as impressive, marked by stronger and more broad-based growth. However, rapid expansion amid narrowing policy room is making macroeconomic balances more sensitive, posing a key policy challenge for the remainder of the year. Impressive growth with more balanced drivers According to the latest data from the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, Vietnam's economy grew 8.39% in the second quarter, bringing first-half growth to 8.18% - significantly higher than the same period last year and among the strongest first-half performances in recent years. Shantanu Chakraborty, Country Director of the Asian Develop...