Briefs

The Stock Exchange of Thailand will launch the Thai Depository Portal on Tuesday to provide securities depository services for listed bonds and funds.
The system, a communication channel for registrars through Thailand Securities Depository Co, helps increase security of information transmission, while reducing risks and procedures.
“SET is strongly committed to matching the right financial |opportunities for partners and market participants by continuously increasing efficiency of post-trade services,” said Bordin Unakul, SET’s executive vice president for post-trade services and |development.
“We have recently signed an agreement with 16 financial institutions for the Thai Depository Portal service. With higher security and procedure reduction, we believe that this is another post-trade service to help boost efficiency for members, shareholders, and participants,” Bordin said.

SAP sees 19% Q1 growth in Asia
SAP Asia Pacific Japan yesterday reported another record quarterly performance, with first-quarter results showing 19-per-cent growth. This follows last year’s full-year results, which delivered the best performance in the company’s 40-year history.
President Steve Watts said: “Q1 2012 has been the best first quarter we have ever achieved … and is our ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth for SAP.
“The [Asia-Pacific-Japan] region stands out as a consistent growth engine in SAP’s global performance. Our key regional markets led the way once more with solid double-digit growth and particularly strong growth in key developing markets.”

BTS launches ‘Rabbit’ smart card
Bangkok Smartcard System Co, a company under the BTS Group, recently launch “Rabbit” – a new smart card that provides common ticketing for mass-transit systems as well as a payment method for products and services at retail. Rabbit will be launched on Tuesday and can be used initially on the BTS Skytrain and with about 20 retail brands.
To upgrade the quality and convenience of the mass-transit systems, Rabbit will be extended to the MRT subway and BRT bus networks later in the year. Rabbit is modelled on similar smart-card systems overseas, such as those used in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and England. – The Nation