Thai stocks fell 1.24 percent on Monday as profit taking hit big-caps, with telecommunications, banks and energy shares leading the fall.
Investors sold bank shares because the Bank of Thailand's tighter rules on the classification of problem loans created worries about the sector's profitability, analysts said.
The bank sector index fell 2.6 percent, with shares in Bangkok Bank down 3.2 percent at 90.5 baht and Krung Thai Bank down 2.4 percent at 9.4 baht.
"The mood on banks is poor because of the loan classification rule," said Syrus Securities analyst Charoen Iampathanatham.
The benchmark Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index finished 7.67 points lower at 612.45 after rising almost four percent over the previous five trading days.
The big-cap SET 50 fell 1.54 percent to 42.12 points and turnover fell by half to 9.68 billion baht ($233 million) from 18.93 billion baht on Friday.
"The market was hit by profit taking and moved in a narrow range similar to stock markets in the region," Charoen said.
"In my view, oil prices were what concerned investors as they were not confident about what direction the market might take."
"Today's sluggish mood could continue tomorrow. The market may rebound, but the upside will be quite limited," he added.
Resistance on the main index on Tuesday should be at 620 points and support at 612-600 points, he said.
US oil prices rose slightly on Monday as Iraq's oil exports continued at more than 30 percent below normal after sabotage attacks on pipelines.
By 0946 GMT, US oil prices were up 0.25 percent at $43.29 a barrel.
Thai investors took quick gains on shares in telecommunications and energy firms, which rose last week on foreign buying, said Amarej Singnarong, head of research at Adkinson Securities.
The telecommunication sector index dropped 1.73 percent, with Advanced Info Service PCL down 1.6 percent at 92.5 baht.
Fixed line operator True Corp dipped 2.8 percent to 4.86 baht after rising almost 13 percent last week as it was seen as a beneficiary of upcoming telecom reforms.
The energy sector index fell 1.4 percent as upstream oil and gas firm PTT Exploration and Production dropped 2.1 percent to 278 baht after talking publicly about expansion hopes.
The company said it wanted to start drilling for oil in Libya and Iran as part of a plan to double oil and gas production in the next five years, the Nation newspaper said.
Property developer Supalai PCL fell 3.3 percent to 2.98 baht after it said it maintained its 2004 housing sales growth estimate at 20 percent from 3.37 billion baht last year.
Thai Airways International PCL, which said it filled 68.8 percent of its passenger and cargo capacity in July, up from June and higher than a year ago, was unchanged at 52.5 baht.
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