Thai share prices are likely to fall next week as oil prices rebound after falling sharply this week and uncertainties over the new election date persist, dealers said.
"Oil prices are likely to rise again next week after falling continuously and that would have impacts on the economy," said Kamolchai Pholintawong, a senior stock analyst at Trinity Securities.
There are also concerns about a possible delay of the general election, which is currently set for October 15, said Kamolchai.
Street protests earlier this year forced Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to call early elections on April 2. His party won, but the constitutional court invalidated the results due to an opposition boycott.
Three election commissioners were last month convicted of illegally aiding Thaksin's ruling Thai Rak Thai party in the polls.
Lawmakers are in the process of selecting the new commissioners but it is not certain the selection will be in time for the new polls set for October 15.
"If the election date is postponed, the stock market would be negatively affected," said Kamolchai.
But a positive factor for stock trading next week is the strong baht, which will draw capital into the Thai market, he added.
The Thai currency fell last week with the Bank of Thailand's intervention to prevent the baht becoming too strong. It closed at 37.50 to the dollar Friday, compared to a six-year high of 37.33-40 a week earlier.
For the week to August 18, the Stock Exchange of Thailand composite index was almost flat from 708.42 in the previous week to 708.49 at close Friday.
The market is expected to trade around the 690.00-720.00 point range next week, Kamolchai said.