Renewed US-China tensions, delay in rollout of $1-trillion stimulus pull down SET
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index closed at 1,308.67 today (August 19), down 21.44 points or 1.61 per cent, while total transactions tallied at Bt57.283 billion with an index high of 1,332.79 and a low of 1,301.97.
During the morning session, a stock analyst at Krungsri Securities said he expected the index to fluctuate between 1,320 and 1,340 points due to a lack of positive investment sentiment.
“Besides, uncertainty in relation to US-China tensions after Washington announced further restrictions on the Chinese phone brand Huawei, and a delay in the rolling out of the $1-trillion economic stimulus in the US will pressure the index,” he said.
The top 10 stocks with the highest trade value today were STGT, CPALL, PTT, MINT, KBANK, AOT, BDMS, ADVANC, SCB and KCE.
As of 4.30pm, the price of crude oil fell by US$0.28 or 0.65 per cent to $42.61 per barrel, while gold fell by $10.30 or 0.51 per cent, to $2,002.80 per ounce.
Other Asian indices were mixed:
Japan’s Nikkei Index closed at 23,110.61, up 59.53 points or 0.26 per cent.
China’s Shanghai SE Composite Index closed at 3,408.13, down 42.96 points or 1.24 per cent, while Shenzhen SE Component Index closed at 13,480.85, down 287.31 points or 2.09 per cent.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed at 25,178.91, down 188.47 points or 0.74 per cent.
South Korea’s KOSPI Index closed at 2,360.54, up 12.30 points or 0.52 per cent.
Taiwan’s TAIEX Index closed at 12,778.64, down 93.50 points or 0.73 per cent.
