Daily trade volume was Bt69.36 billion with an index high of 1,541.81 and a low of 1,530.51.

Tisco Research believes the SET index has a chance of rising thanks to news that China has discovered cure for the novel coronavirus and the Bank of Thailand’s cut to the policy rate to 1 per cent.

China’s announcement on Thursday that it was cutting tariffs on US goods also boosted Asian markets, and meanwhile a Constitutional Court verdict on the fiscal 2020 budget is due on Friday at 1pm.

Elsewhere in Asia:

Japan’s Nikkei index closed at 23,873.59, up 554.03 points or 2.38 per cent.

China’s Shanghai SE Composite index closed at 2,866.51, up 48.42 or 1.72 per cent.

Shenzhen’s SE Component index closed at 10,601.34, up 295.84 or 2.87 per cent.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed at 27,493.70, up 706.96 or 2.64 per cent.

South Korea’s KOSPI index closed at 2,227.94, up 62.31 or 2.88 per cent.

Taiwan’s TAIEX index closed at 11,749.68, up 176.06 or 1.52 per cent.