Thai share prices closed 0.72 percent lower on Monday on the back of a domestic oil price hike and a weak Thai currency, dealers said. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index lost 4.89 points to close at 675.09 points, and the blue chip SET 50 index lost 4.21 points to 469.43. Losers outnumbered gainers 195 to 87 and 111 stocks were unchanged with turnover of 1.68 billion shares worth 12.33 billion baht (301.54 million dollars).
Thawatchai Asawapornchai from Globex Securities said there were heavy sales in the afternoon session on the back of domestic factors including an oil price hike and a weak Thai currency. "Investors are concerned that with the baht weak, oil prices will be higher and it will affect other costs," he said.
The Thai baht closed in onshore trading on Monday at 40.87-89 baht to one dollar against the close of 40.63-65 baht on Friday.
The major indexes closed lower, led by finance and securities which closed 1.46 percent lower at 1,202.80, energy lost 0.81 percent at 12,825.43 and banking fell 0.73 percent at 240.99. PTT Plc and PTT Exploration and Production both lost 2.00 baht to close at 208.00 baht and 340.00 baht respectively.
Bangkok Bank and Kasikornbank both shed 1.00 baht to close at 102.00 and 56.50 respectively. Siam Cement dropped 2.00 baht to 230.00 baht but TPI Polene rose 2.00 baht at 32.25.
United Broadcast Corporation added 1.00 baht at 25.00. Thai Airways International added closed unchanged at 45.00 baht.
Advanced Info Service dropped 1.50 baht to finish at 96.00 baht, and United Communication was unchanged at 48.50 baht.