Briefs

Thailand’s life insurance business’ total premiums were Bt245.32 billion, up 17.2 per cent year on year in the first eight months of this year. Of the total, first-year premiums accounted for Bt78.49 billion, an increase of 18.3 per cent, renewal premiums for Bt166.82 billion, up 14.4 per cent from the same period last year.

Firm closures soar

The Commerce Ministry yesterday reported that the number of closures of companies had reached 9,715, an increase by 16 per cent, in the first nine months this year.

The top five businesses that have high registration numbers were services and recreation activities, building construction, property, transport, and wholesales of machines and equipment.

Thitikorn raises loan target

Thitikorn has revised its target for instalment-loan growth from 10 per cent to 15 per cent, or from Bt8.3 billion to Bt8.7 billion, this year thanks to rising demand for motorcycles in the first eight months.

Vice president Prapol Phornprapha said yesterday that new-motorcycle sales revved up by more than 10 per cent year on year to 1.47 million units in the January-August period.

Rubber price to rebound

KU-OAE Foresight Centre predicts that the rubber price will rebound to Bt100 per kilogram by the end of this year in line with the forecast of an economic recovery.

The export price of rubber deliveries in November has been quoted at Bt103.5 per kilogram. – The Nation