- Daily average trading volume up 43.69 pct year-on-year at USD 1.01 bln
- Dividend yields at 3.70 pct, highest in SE Asia for eighth straight month
- Market capitalization up 2.14 pct year-to-date on higher index, rising listed firms
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)’s surge in trading volume in securities and derivatives reflected the strong fundamentals of Thai listed firms and upbeat economy. Despite the negative impact from internal and external factors in the first six months, dividend yields of Thai listed companies were still the highest level in Southeast Asia.
Market capitalization of SET was at THB 8.51 trillion (approx. USD 280 billion) at end-June, up 2.14 percent from end-2010, helped by the improving SET index and rising share prices of newly-listed companies. Technology stocks were the top gainer with an 11.57 percent rise, followed by agricultural and food shares. Conversely, the industrial, property and construction sectors mostly fell in the first six months.
Foreign investors were more active in the market in the first half of the year, accounting for 23.43 percent of the total trading volume, versus 18.40 percent for the year 2010. However, they were net sellers in the first six months of this year, especially in June, when sentiment was hit by concerns over domestic politics and Europe’s economy.
Key highlights for H1/2011
Securities
- Market capitalization was up 2.14 percent to THB 8.51 trillion (USD 280 billion) and market valuation of the Market for Alternative Investment was THB 80.3 billion (USD 2.64 billion), up 45.71 percent from end-2010.
- Daily average trading volume was at THB 30,808 million (USD 1.01 billion), up 43.69 percent from a year earlier, approaching the top level in the region.
- Forward P/E ratio was at 11.67 times, up slightly from 11.49 a year ago.
- Dividend yield was at 3.70 percent, highest in the region, although it dropped from 3.91 percent in June 2010.
- Foreign investors sold a net THB 14.8 billion in January-June. However, domestic investors were net buyers of THB 17.8 billion.
- The SET Index ended June at 1,041.48 points, up 0.84 percent since the start of this year, but down 3.01 percent against the previous month as domestic political uncertainty and fears of a European economic slowdown triggered foreign selling.
Derivatives
- Average daily trading volume almost doubled from a year earlier to 30,997 contracts at end-June. Total volume reached 3.69 million contracts in the first half of this year, helped by the introduction of more futures products, evening trade, marketing activities and educating investors.
- The SET 50 Index futures, gold futures, and single stock futures were among the most popular futures products.