SET bounces slightly over news of $1-trillion US stimulus measures
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index closed 6.54 points or 0.49 per cent higher at 1,337.35 today (August 5), with total transactions standing at Bt60.357 billion with an index high of 1,341.23 and a low of 1,326.07.
In the morning session, a stock analyst at Krungsri Securities said he expected the index to rise between 1,335 and 1,340 points before falling as the market had won positive sentiment from progress in negotiations between US Congress and the White House on the $1-trillion (Bt31.05 trillion) economic stimulus.
“Investments also gained positive sentiment from US factory orders in June, which rose by 6.2 per cent, and the rising price of crude oil,” the analyst said.
However, he added that volatility from weak listed companies’ second-quarter performance and mass sell-offs in response to technical indicators will see a slump in the index.
The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee also voted unanimously today to maintain the key policy rate unchanged at 0.5 per cent.
The top 10 stocks with the highest trade value today were CPALL, PTTEP, PTT, AOT, PTTGC, SAWAD, NER, GULF, TOP and EA.
As of 4.30pm, the price of crude oil had risen by $0.59 or 1.41 per cent to $42.29 per barrel, while gold had risen by $29.30 or 1.45 per cent, to $2,050.30 per ounce.
Other Asian indices were mixed:
Japan’s Nikkei Index closed at 22,514.85, down 58.81 points, or 0.26 per cent.
China’s Shanghai SE Composite Index closed at 3,377.56, up 5.88 points, or 0.17 per cent, while Shenzhen SE Component Index closed at 13,960.92, up 100.47 points, or 0.72 per cent.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed at 25,102.54, up 155.91 points, or 0.62 per cent.
South Korea’s KOSPI Index closed at 2,311.86, up 31.89 points, or 1.40 per cent.
Taiwan’s TAIEX Index closed at 12,802.30, up 92.38 points, or 0.73 per cent.
