Thai share prices closed 2.35 percent higher on Friday, led by a rebound on Wall Street as the latest data on the US economy eased concern over rising US interest rates, dealers said. They said the market also jumped on bargain-hunting in blue chips, in line with gains in regional markets.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index rose 16.47 points to close at 717.50, while the blue chip SET 50 index gained 13.04 points to 495.93.
Gainers far outnumbered losers 312 to 42 and 83 stocks were unchanged with 1.9 billion shares worth 13.3 billion baht (348 million dollars) traded.
The Thai baht closed Friday at 38.14-17 to the dollar, compared with Thursday's 38.36-42. Against the euro, the Thai currency closed at 48.86-90, little changed from 48.95-49.02.
"Buying spread across the board as sentiment improved following the US GDP data," Thanomsak Saharatchai, a market analyst at Capital Nomura Securities said, referring to the upgraded US economic growth in the first quarter.
The US government said Thursday the world's largest economy expanded by 5.3 percent, revising upward an earlier estimate of 4.8 percent growth.
"The revised GDP data reassured investors that the US economy was strong and solid" after weeks of volatile trade due to fears over rising US interest rates and their impact on the US economy, Thanomsak said.
Buying sentiment was also bullish due to gains in regional markets, which took heart from a rebound on Wall Street Thursday.
Shares in Thailand's top energy firm PTT jumped 8.00 to 242.00 baht and its subsidiary PTT Exploration and Production gained 1.00 to 112.00. Thai Oil edged up 0.50 to 62.00.
Thailand's top lender Bangkok Bank rose 3.00 to 106.00, and Kasikorn Bank, the third-largest bank, increased 1.50 to 62.50.
Thai Airways International gained 1.25 to 46.25.
Comments
Comments are closed.