Thai stocks edge up, bucking Asian trend

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index closed at 1,503.36 on Tuesday, up 2.44 points or 0.16 per cent. Total transactions amounted to Bt88.90 billion with an index high of 1,509.65 and a low of 1,500.80.

In the morning session, a Krungsri Securities analyst expected the day's index to fluctuate between 1,490 and 1,510 points despite the US approving a US$1.9-trillion economic stimulus package.

Uncertainty over the rise in US Treasury bond yields, plus the falling oil price due to expectations that Opec+ will increase production at its meeting on Thursday, would pressure the index, he said.

The 10 stocks with the highest trade value today were STA, OR, COM7, CPALL, PTT, CPF, PTG, SAWAD, SCB and AOT.

Other Asian indices were mostly down:

Japan’s Nikkei Index closed at 29,408.17, down 255.33 points or 0.86 per cent.

China’s Shang Hai SE Composite Index closed at 3,508.59, down 42.81 points or 1.21 per cent, while the Shenzhen SE Component Index closed at 14,751.12, down 106.23 points or 0.71 per cent.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed at 29,095.86, down 356.71 points or 1.21 per cent.

Taiwan's TAIEX Index closed at 15,946.88, down 6.92 points or 0.043 per cent.

The exception was South Korea's KOSPI, which closed at 3,043.87, up 30.92 points or 1.03 per cent.