Stock investors told to diversify into less-risky assets
Amid global economic uncertainties and the low interest rate environment, stock investors should expand their portfolio into less-risky assets, such as real estate fund, infrastructure fund, bonds and foreign equities, especially in technology which is still lacking in the local market, said Narongsak Plodmechai, Chief Executive Officer at SCB Asset Management.
However, despite attributing decline of the SET index to the coronavirus outbreak, Narongsak said it presented a great opportunity to invest in electric power plants, food, hospitals and finance stocks.
Thidasiri Srisamith, executive vice president at Kasikorn Asset Management (KAsset), said the cut in policy rate by the Bank of Thailand was well expected by KAsset and stock investors, adding the the SET index was expected to move about the 1,700-point level.
She said the coronavirus outbreak would possibly be contained in the next three months and investors should now focus on stocks that would recover from global economic slowdowns such as petrochemicals, power, export and food; stocks that have low fluctuation in revenues relative to economic factors such as electric power plant, logistics and finance; and stocks of which dividend is higher than the market average such as small banks and telecommunication.