Thai share prices shed 0.22 percent on Friday after profit-taking in energy stocks following an easing of world oil prices, dealers said. They said global oil prices drifted lower Friday as concerns eased over tight US motor oil supplies, although traders remained alert as Iran looked set to defy a UN deadline to freeze its nuclear program.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index lost 1.72 points at 768.29 and the blue chip SET 50 index dropped 2.77 points at 533.86. Decliners outnumbered gainers 178 to 160 and 116 stocks were unchanged with 2.4 billion shares traded worth 15.3 billion baht (408.1 million dollars).
Thai baht hit a new six-year high Friday at 37.49-51 baht to one dollar compared to Thursday close at 37.56-59. But against the euro the baht closed at 47.11-17 baht to one euro compared to last week's close of 46.60-66.
"The index dropped slightly because of profit-taking in the energy sector after the world oil prices eased," Sukit Udomsirikul, chief analyst at Siam City Securities said. The energy sector shed 0.72 percent. Among market blue chips Bangkok Bank was unchanged at 113.00 baht, but PTT Plc shed 2.00 to 258.00, and PTT Exploration and Production was off 1.00 at 126.00. Siam Cement fell 4.00 to 238.00, while Thai Airways stayed put at 47.50, but Thai Petrochemical Industries added 0.10 to 8.40.