Thai share prices closed 0.34 percent lower on Monday after North Korea conducted its first-ever nuclear test, dealers said. They said Pyongyang's nuclear test spooked investors across the region and the Thai market was also under pressure due to weaker-than-expected jobs data in the United States last Friday.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index fell 2.34 points to 692.26 and the blue chip SET 50 index lost 1.82 points to 484.42. Losers outnumbered gainers 201 to 122 with 115 stocks unchanged on turnover of 1.7 billion shares worth 8.7 billion baht (231 million dollars).
The Thai baht closed at 37.57-58 to the dollar, little changed from Friday's 37.50-55. Against the euro, the Thai currency finished at 47.35-40 after 47.52-78. "Sentiment was sluggish mainly due to the news of North Korea's nuclear test and weak US economic data," said Tarisa Chaisuntornyotin, a senior market analyst at Siam City Securities.
Tarisa said there was also a wait-and-see mood in the market as investors awaited details of economic policy from Thailand's post-coup government, which on Monday unveiled its new cabinet of 26 ministers. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, who was installed by the military following last month's bloodless coup, tapped Bank of Thailand governor Pridiyathorn Devakula as finance minister and deputy prime minister.
Thailand's largest energy firm PTT was unchanged at 212.00 baht and its subsidiary PTT Exploration and Production also traded flat at 107.00. The country's top lender Bangkok Bank lost 1.00 to 109.00 and the third-largest lender Kasikorn Bank also fell 1.00 to 67.50. Thai Airways International was unchanged at 48.25.
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