Vietnam aims to raise $1 bln from foreign bond sale

HANOI, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Vietnam is hoping to raise $1 billion from the sale of international dollar-denominated bonds sometime between now and early 2010, a Finance Ministry official said on Tuesday.

"Most of the money, about $700 million, would supplement the government's budget and the rest would be loaned to state-owned companies," said the official, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

The coupon for the 10-year bonds would be capped at 7 percent, he said. (Reporting by Nguyen Nhat Lam; Editing by John Ruwitch)