Briefs

New-motorcycle sales edged up only 1 per cent in the first three quarters of this year to 1.64 million units. Automatic-transmission models were up 4 per cent to 784,736 units, while family models were down 3 per cent to 784,688 units in the period.
In September alone, motorcycle registrations slipped 1 per cent from the same month of last year to 170,858 units because of the rainy season. Honda retained its lead in the market during the month with a 70-per-cent share. The company sold 120,213 motorcycles in September with growth of 1 percentage point higher than the market. – The Nation

KBank profit soars 30.1%
Kasikornbank Group’s nine-month net profit jumped 30.1 per cent to Bt27.57 billion on rising net interest income.
Somkiat Sirichatchai, senior executive vice president, said yesterday that KBank’s consolidated operating profit before income tax rose 19.2 per cent or Bt6.15 billion to Bt38.19 billion from the first nine months of last year. For the third quarter of 2012, the bank’s consolidated net profit dipped 1.7 per cent to Bt155 million from the previous quarter.
Stripping out stock dividends received in the previous quarter, which was a non-recurring item, net profit for the third quarter increased by 7.15 per cent.
The bank’s net interest income was up by 12.1 per cent or Bt5.02 billion, resulting in its net interest margin improving to 3.57 per cent.
Non-interest income advanced 16.4 per cent or Bt4.32 billion thanks to growth in net fees and service income as well as net premiums earned. The efficiency ratio stood at 43.1 per cent, an improvement from the same period of 2011.
KBank and its subsidiaries benefited from a reduction in the corporate-income-tax rate from 30 per cent to 23 per cent this year.
In comparing the operating performance for the third quarter of 2012 with the second quarter of 2012, the net profit of KBank and its subsidiaries totalled Bt9.21 billion, decreasing 1.7 per cent or Bt155 million.
As of the end of the third quarter, the bank’s total assets had reached Bt2 trillion, up 6.3 per cent or Bt118.42 billion from the previous quarter, mostly on increases in interbank and money-market items-net and loans. The gross rate of non-performing loans to total loans as of September 30 stood at 2.07 per cent, improving over the previous quarter’s 2.20 per cent. – The Nation

Exporters slow rubber shipments
Rubber exporters in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, which represent about 70 per cent of global supply, have started to curb shipments to help boost prices, the International Rubber Consortium said.
The three countries are implementing the measures announced in August by the International Tripartite Rubber Council, said Yium Tavarolit, chief secretary of the IRCO, a unit of the council, without giving any figures.
Exporters will probably delay sales to the first quarter when the so-called wintering season will cut production, he said. Wintering refers to the period when trees shed leaves and latex output slows. – Bloomberg

Pork price move dropped
The Commerce Ministry plans to suspend its recommended-price measure for pork after swine farmers were hurt by the severe drop in the price of pork.
Viboonlasana Ruamraksa, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said yesterday that the cancellation of the recommended prices would help push up pork prices. Farmers should not have to suffer from the dropping price after market demand softened but supply bulged.
The recommended pig price for this week is Bt48-Bt54 per kilogram, while the retail pork price is set at Bt98-Bt106.
Swine farmers are considering cutting back on production to promote the pig price up to Bt55-B60 a kilo, which would result in the retail price of pork heading up to Bt120-Bt130 a kilo. – The Nation