Thailand Shares Hold at 6-1/2-Year Peak

Thailand’s SET50 Index was notably higher in Thursday morning trade, hovering near 1,078 and extending the upswing that began last week. The benchmark remained at its highest levels since early 2020, boosted by government support measures that mix short-term cushioning such as monetary easing, SME relief, and household debt management, with longer-term transformation efforts. A positive handover from Wall Street overnight also added momentum following softer inflation data that tempered expectations of imminent Fed tightening. In Asia, weak Q2 GDP figures in China stirred hopes of fresh stimulus ahead of the Politburo’s late-July meeting. However, gains were constrained by concerns over the impact of higher oil prices on cost pressures after Thailand's headline inflation rose for the third month in June, reversing a year of deflation. Standout movers included Bangchak Corp. (5%), Global Power Synergy (3.0%), Berli Jucker (1.3%), and Cal-Comp Electronics (1.1%).

SET 50 increased to 1066.00 Index Points, the highest since January 2020. Over the past 4 weeks, Thailand SET 50 Index gained 3.75%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 43.05%.

Thailand’s SET50 Index climbed 13 points, or 1.2%, to 1,053 on Thursday afternoon, snapping a three-day losing streak as stronger U.S. futures lifted sentiment after Wall Street’s mixed close and Fed minutes underscored caution. Locally, momentum was buoyed by the Board of Investment’s approval of nine projects worth nearly USD 2 billion spanning AI, advanced electronics, aviation, clean energy, and food to support long-term competitiveness. June consumer sentiment hit a three-month high, reversing a four-month slide, aided by easing Middle East tensions and Bangkok’s sweeping subsidy plan to curb costs. Producer manufacturing and electronic tech led gains, followed by utilities, industrial services, and retail. Still, warnings from Bank of Thailand board members highlighted risks that prolonged easing could erode fiscal and monetary space and weigh on credit ratings. Standouts included Asset World Corp. (3.2%), Bangkok Bank (2.4%), and Cal-Comp Electronics (3.6%).