PRESS DIGEST - Vietnam newspapers - April 9

HANOI, April 9 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in the official Vietnamese press on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

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FINANCIAL NEWS:

VIETNAM NEWS

-- Investment fund Oaktree Capital of the United States said it wanted to invest $5 billion in a large resort in the central city of Danang.

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HANOI MOI

-- Itaco ITA.HM hired U.S. power consultant Black & Veatch to conduct a feasibility study for a $6.7 billion coal-fired power plant in the southern province of Kien Giang. The firm also hired Chinese port consultant FHDI to do a study on a $1.1 billion terminal near the plant to handle coal delivery.

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LAO DONG

-- The Finance Ministry plans to raise tariffs on car imports to 80-85 percent from 70 percent to curb car purchases.

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TUOI TRE

-- Dong A Bank and Sacombank STB.HM lowered their lending rates in the Vietnamese dong after they cut the rates on dong deposits, chief executives of the Ho Chi Minh City-based banks said.

-- Foreign investors bought more than 5 million shares on Tuesday on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange .VNI, three times more than their sales, market data show.

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