Hanoi - Vietnam's stock market fell sharply on Thursday as local traders scrambled to sell after the previous day's plunges on the global market and on fears that foreigners will withdraw from the local exchange, securities experts said.

Despite prime rate cuts by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) from 14 to 13 per cent last Tuesday, the volatile VN-Index ended Thursday down 3.86 per cent, to close at 360, the lowest level since February 2006.

"Local traders' sentiments have been badly affected by plummets on global stock markets," said Phan Hong Quan, Director of Eurocapital Securities. "That fact that foreigners were net sellers over the past ten sessions has made local traders worried."

Stockholm - The Swedish government is set to halt an adoption programme with Vietnam over fears of irregularities, reports said Wednesday.

The pending cabinet decision, due Thursday, is based on evaluations that suggest that biological parents were not always aware their children were put up for adoption and were sometimes offered cash for their children.

Health and Social Affairs Minister Goran Hagglund told Swedish radio news that there were "disturbing signals" that not all adoptions from Vietnam were permissible.

The current agreement with Vietnam is due to expire in the autumn of 2009.

Hagglund said there were no signs that Vietnam was willing to admit to the problems.

Hanoi - Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with Chinese leaders Wednesday in Beijing to discuss borders and seek to strengthen often-strained ties with China, government officials said.

Dung, his wife and a high-ranking government delegation arrived in Beijing Tuesday for his first official visit to China and the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting, which is to be held Friday and Saturday.

Hanoi - Vietnam is isolated from losses linked to toxic US subprime mortgage loans but the global economic crisis they have unleashed is hitting its export markets, government officials said Wednesday.

The Trade and Industry Ministry projected the country would earn 15.7 billion dollars from exports in the fourth quarter, or roughly 5 billion dollars for each remaining month of the year. That figure represents a drop from the recent monthly average of more than 6 billion dollars as demand for key exports drops.

Producers and exporters are reporting that prices of exports such as rubber, coffee, pepper, rice and seafood are falling.

Vienna - The price for crude oil produced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell by 0.31 dollars Tuesday, even though cartel members have indicated they might cut production at their meeting on Friday in Vienna.

One barrel (159 litres) of OPEC crude stood at 64.32 dollars Tuesday, down from 64.63 dollars on the previous day.

Analysts expect OPEC to lower production by at least 1 million barrels per day on Friday, as slowing demand has dragged down oil prices.

Beijing  - Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung continued his first tour of China Tuesday, arriving in Beijing for several days of summits and signing ceremonies.

During his stay, Dung is scheduled to meet with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The two are to sign documents about cooperative projects between the two countries, according to Nguyen Vinh Quang, Vietnam's minister to China.

Dung is also set to participate in the seventh summit of the Asia- Europe Meeting (ASEM), scheduled for October 24-25.