PRESS DIGEST - Vietnam newspapers - Aug 18

HANOI, Aug 18 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in the official Vietnamese press on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

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FINANCIAL NEWS:

VIETNAM INVESTMENT REVIEW

-- Limited lending while receiving major boost in deposits has left large Vietnamese banks with loads of cash.

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THOI BAO KINH TE VIETNAM

-- Partly private SeABank is scheduled to officially announce Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) as its foreign strategic shareholder on Thursday.

-- Vietcombank was allowed to provide a maximum loan of $426 million to member companies of Petrolimex, the State Bank of Vietnam said.

-- The State Securities Commission has approved partly private Eximbank's issue of more than 12 million shares to foreign strategic investors.

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DAU TU CHUNG KHOAN

-- The Vietnam Association of Financial Investors has proposed share offers by public companies must be underwritten.

ECONOMIC AND GENERAL NEWS:

VIETNAM NEWS

-- The government has asked southern provincial authorities to immediately identify potential landslide areas and evacuate people after Mekong waters have surpassed the first warning level.