PRESS DIGEST - Vietnam newspapers - May 23

May 23 (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.

FINANCIAL NEWS:
LAO DONG
- Loans by Hanoi-based banks as of May were estimated at 598 trillion dong ($28.7 billion), up 2.04 percent from the end of 2011, while their deposits eased 0.28 percent in the same period to 819.5 trillion dong, the Hanoi Statistics Department said.

- The State Securities Commission would increase fines by four times to 2 billion dong ($96,000) for corporate failure to follow information disclosure rules from June 1, a representative of the commission said.

THOI BAO KINH TE VIETNAM
- Hanoi-based Vietcombank said its bad debt rose to 2.87 percent of loans at the end of March from 2.0 percent as at March 31, 2011.

- The Hanoi Stock Exchange said it would introduce the HNX30 index in late June to capture the capitalisation and liquidity of 30 listed firms.

DAU TU
- Ho Chi Minh City-based HD Bank has been seeking partner for a merger or acquisition in order to expand the lender's size and promote its name, Chairwoman Le Thi Bang Tam has said.

ECONOMIC AND GENERAL NEWS:
QUAN DOI NHAN DAN
- The Police Ministry has issued a warrant for Duong Tri Dung, former head of the Vietnam Maritime Department who has been accused of wrongdoing that caused major losses to the state when he was chairman of state-run Vinalines, a senior anti-corruption police officer said.

TUOI TRE
- The National Assembly office should not limit journalist's access to interviewing delegates only at an area on the second floor of the meeting venues but should permit more flexible places, delegates said. (Reporting by Hanoi newsroom, Editing by Eric Meijer)