The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index rose by 3.06 points, or 0.20 per cent, to 1,528.17 on Tuesday morning.
The SET Index closed at 1,525.11 on Monday, up 3.19 points or 0.21 per cent. Transactions totalled THB66.33 billion with an index high of 1,525.73 and a low of 1,513.71.
A Krungsri Securities analyst expected the SET Index on Tuesday to fluctuate between 1,515-1,535 points. The market’s condition indicated negative sentiment from the weakening of crude oil price and manufacturing sector figures of the US and China in July.
The extension of pandemic lockdown measures for an additional month and the expansion of the “dark red” zones to 29 provinces are also factors in the negative sentiment.
However, mass buy-ups of shares on specific positive sentiment sectors, such as the export sector and improved second quarter corporate results are expected to support the rebound of the index.
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Selective buying is recommended for the following stocks as an investment strategy:
▪︎ Exporters like HANA, KCE, TU, CPF, ASIAN and EPG, which will benefit from the baht’s depreciation.
▪︎ BCH, CHG, BDMS, DOHOME, BEM, CKP, CBG, OSP, ICHI, GPSC, BEC, GUNKUL, JWD, WICE, SONIC and NER, which are expected to report improved results for the second quarter.
Covid situation still casts shadow over baht as foreign investors head for exit
The baht opened at 32.94 to the US dollar on Tuesday, unchanged from Monday’s closing rate.
The Thai currency is likely to move between 32.90 and 33.00 during the day, Krungthai Bank market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.
Poon said the baht was weakening while the US dollar could swing sideways. The baht was unlikely to strengthen soon as the Covid-19 situation in Thailand could worsen.
Foreign investors were still offloading their assets, such as stocks in Thailand, which would lead to a weakening of the baht, he predicted.
Poon believed the Thai currency would not weaken below 33 per US dollar if investors felt “safe” from the worldwide Covid-19 situation and hence did not need to hold onto safe-haven assets.
Gold holds firm in Thai market despite slide in spot price
The price of gold in Thailand on Tuesday morning was unchanged from Monday close.
The Gold Traders Association report at 9.26am showed buying price of a gold bar at THB28,150 per baht weight and selling price at THB28,250, while gold ornaments were priced at THB27,636.68 and THB28,750, respectively.
Spot gold on Tuesday morning dropped to US$1,812 (THB59,718) per ounce after Comex gold price at close on Monday rose by $5 to $1,822.2 per ounce, due to the depreciation of the US dollar and the drop in the US government bond yield.
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Hong Kong gold price, meanwhile, rose by HK$20 to $16,790 (THB71,167) per tael, the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society reported.
Stocks erase gain as yields dip on growth concerns
U.S. equities erased gains on Monday after Treasury yields extended a decline following softer-than-expected U.S. manufacturing growth amid lingering supply constraints.
The S&P 500, Dow Jones industrial average and Nasdaq 100 fell from earlier highs as investors considered the impact of the 10-year Treasury yield hitting as low as 1.15% on Monday, putting concerns about growth in focus.
“I think people are looking at the sharp drop in long rates and flattening of the yield curve and they are getting worried about economic growth,” said Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer for Bleakley Advisory Group. “That growth concern comes from the inflation-driven slowdown we’re seeing in some sectors in addition to delta variant worries in emerging markets.”
U.S. equities initially followed stocks in Europe and Asia higher amid upbeat earnings and a surge in corporate dealmaking, which had offset concerns over the spread of the delta virus variant and China’s regulatory crackdown. Square Inc.’s $29 billion deal for Afterpay Ltd. has put global dealmakers on course for the busiest-ever summer. Meanwhile, China’s market regulator has called for more cooperation with the U.S. on initial public offerings.
The unsteady moves at the start of the month come as August has historically been a month that starts off weak, especially if the S&P 500 is already up over 10%, according to Bespoke Investment Group LLC.
“Maybe in a year in which the S&P 500 performs so strongly heading into August, a pause is just what it needs before finishing off the year strong,” the Harrison, New York-based firm wrote in a note Monday.
But while August may be weaker, stock market bulls can claim to have history on their side. The S&P 500 rose for a sixth straight month in July — the longest such streak since 2018 — and the average 12-month return after similar runs in the past half century is 8.3%, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Many risks remain, however.
A surge in the covid-19 delta variant could harm the U.S. recovery and keep some Americans from looking for work, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said ahead of Friday’s U.S. jobs report.
Unexpectedly weak growth in manufacturing could also add to expectations for a steadier recovery after a key factory reading from China also slipped.
Meanwhile, tensions with Iran over a deadly attack on a tanker could also weigh on markets. Crude oil was lower on Monday after the U.S., Israel and the U.K. vowed to respond to the attack.
Matt Maley, chief market strategist for Miller Tabak + Co., said Monday’s performance could be attributed to bond yields and the drop in oil prices facing lower demand.
“If that is signaling lower growth, that could be a problem for stocks,” he said.
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Here are the main moves in the markets:
Stocks
Futures on the S&P 500 fell 0.2% as of 4:18 p.m. EDT
Futures on the Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.2%
The MSCI World index rose 0.4%
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Currencies
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed
The euro was little changed at $1.1871
The British pound fell 0.1% to $1.3888
The Japanese yen rose 0.4% to 109.31 per dollar
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Bonds
The yield on 10-year Treasurys declined five basis points to 1.17%
Germany’s 10-year yield declined three basis points to -0.49%
Britain’s 10-year yield declined four basis points to 0.52%
Commodities
West Texas Intermediate crude fell 3.4% to $71.46 a barrel
Gold futures were little changed
Published : August 03, 2021
By : Syndication Washington Post, Bloomberg · Kamaron Leach, Vildana Hajric
SET up slightly despite expansion of lockdown measures in Thailand
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index closed at 1,525.11 on Monday, up 3.19 points or 0.21 per cent. Transactions totalled THB66.33 billion with an index high of 1,525.73 and a low of 1,513.71.
In the morning session, Krungsri Securities predicted the index would fluctuate between 1,510 and 1,530 points after lockdown measures were extended to more provinces to curb the spread of Covid-19, impacting the economy and foreign fund flows.
“However, mass buy-ups of shares that have gained positive sentiment would help boost the index,” Krungsri Securities said.
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The 10 stocks with the highest trade value today were CPALL, AMR, PTT, CPF, TOP, AS, RCL, TTA, KBANK and AOT.
Other Asian indices were on the rise:
Japan’s Nikkei Index closed at 27,781.02, up 497.43 points or 1.82 per cent.
China’s Shanghai SE Composite Index closed at 3,464.29, up 66.93 points or 1.97 per cent, while the Shenzhen SE Component Index closed at 14,798.16, up 324.95 points or 2.25 per cent.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed at 26,235.80, up 274.77 points or 1.06 per cent.
South Korea’s KOSPI closed at 3,223.04, up 20.72 points or 0.65 per cent.
Taiwan’s TAIEX closed at 17,503.28, up 255.87 points or 1.48 per cent.
Thailand looks to e-mobility to help residents breathe cleaner air
ABB Terra 124 charging stations are offering the fastest charging experience for electric vehicles in Thailand
Thailand’s growing urbanization, along with a surge in industrial activity, has led to more traffic congestion and higher air pollution in Bangkok. The air quality in the capital is now deemed unsafe by the Pollution Control Department. This problem has persisted even after the city expanded its Skytrain rail system and subway lines, because most people still rely on private cars to commute. To combat air pollution, the government is now pushing for wider adoption of electric vehicles (EV), including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles. This has shown results – the number of EV registrations has increased to 100,000, according to the Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand. To ensure that this trend accelerates further, the government wants to ensure there is adequate reliable and accessible charging infrastructure for EV drivers nationwide. By 2030, the government wants 50 percent of all cars made in Thailand – 1.25 million units – to be electric.
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To expand the public fast charging network, both public and private sectors jointly expand the network of fast charging stations which aiming to increase the adoption of electrified vehicle in the country. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), leading state-owned power utility, partnered with PTG Energy, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies that operates PT petrol stations, to install chargers at PT petrol stations along main highway routes outside Bangkok.
ABB’s chargers drive Thailand’s sustainable transport forward ABB’s Terra 124 EV fast charger with a charging power of 120 kW has been installed at Elex by EGAT station at five PT petrol stations situated on major highway routes. These stations, located between 100-200 kilometers from Bangkok, are already switched on and ready to charge. They represent the nation’s fastest public charging station and can typically charge EVs in just 20-30 minutes to reach 80 percent of their charging capacity.
Terra 124’s compact size and flexible design make it perfect fit for petrol stations, highways and fleet use. With dual outlet CCS, the charger can provide a full battery charge to two vehicles simultaneously and is designed to meet EV battery voltage capabilities up to 920V. It can charge a wide range of EVs and is future-ready. It is part of the bestselling Terra DC fast charging family, known for superior usability and reliability as well as integrated connected services, based on a 24/7/365 monitored platform, for remote services and firmware updates. These services allow customers to easily connect
EV
their chargers to different software systems like back-offices, payment platforms or energy management solutions online. “We’re very proud to have been entrusted with EGAT to support Thailand’s transition to sustainable transport. ABB’s Terra 124 is one of the most advanced charging stations in our pioneering family of chargers that have helped transport networks around the world become smarter, greener, and free of emissions. It been certified to operate optimally within a petrol station environment,” said Gianandrea Bruzzone, Country Managing Director of ABB Thailand.
EV
ABB is a world leader in electric vehicle infrastructure, offering the full range of charging and electrification solutions for electric cars, electric and hybrid buses as well as for ships and railways. ABB entered the EV-charging market in 2010, and to date. ABB entered the e-mobility market back in 2010, and today has sold more than 400,000 electric vehicle chargers across more than 85 markets; over 20,000 DC fast chargers and 380,000 AC chargers, including those sold through Chargedot.
ABB’s commitment to driving progress in e-mobility is shown most clearly through the title partnership with the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. From Season 9, in 2022-23, ABB will become official charging supplier to the championship.
For more information about ABB’s EV Charging Solutions, visit new.abb.com/ev-charging
Thailand looks to e-mobility to help residents breathe cleaner air
Habitat for Humanity to hold Asia-Pacific Housing Forum in Thailand for the third time
Over 2,000 industry experts and delegates expected to participate in a hybrid event, co-organized with SWITCH-Asia
Habitat for Humanity announced today that the eighth Asia-Pacific Housing Forum with the theme, “Building forward better for inclusive housing”, will be held in Bangkok from December 7 to 9. This will be the third time that the affordable housing forum will be held in Thailand. The strategic location of the country, presence of a strong and vibrant international development community in Bangkok, and Habitat for Humanity’s 23-year history of building homes in Thailand, were the key considerations for the choice of venue for the biennial event.
“The focus for this year’s Asia-Pacific Housing Forum centers on how affordable and sustainable housing solutions can bring an inclusive future for vulnerable and low-income families through greener, safer, and more resilient approaches,” said Luis Noda, area vice president of Habitat for Humanity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Globally, the health and economic impacts of the ongoing pandemic has exacerbated the housing crisis and made clear how crucial having safe, secure, and adequate housing is to one’s health, wellbeing, and even survival.
Around the world, approximately 1.6 billion people live without adequate shelter. In the Asia-Pacific region, an estimated one-third of urban dwellers live in slums or slum-like conditions. In Thailand, for instance, the slum and squatter population has continued to increase, with a majority of them in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. The nation’s urban population is approximately 35.29 million in 2019 (Statista.com). From 2018 to 2019, the poverty rate dropped to 6.2%, according to the World Bank. However, in 2020, the poverty rate increased to 8.8% due to the effects brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Habitat for Humanity to hold Asia-Pacific Housing Forum in Thailand for the third timeSome of the main speakers of the Asia-Pacific Housing Forum include Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of UN-Habitat, and Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International.
Co-organized by Habitat for Humanity and the EU-funded SWITCH-Asia programme, with the support of other partners, the Forum brings together industry leaders, innovators, policy experts, and various stakeholders to inspire a new vision for more inclusive, healthy, and resilient cities and communities. It serves as a multi-sectoral platform to build collaboration among like-minded organization to create impact at scale for low-cost, affordable technologies across the Asia-Pacific region.
The importance of housing as a driver of economic growth and sustainability in human settlements will be one of the central discussions during the Forum. It also aims to strengthen the regional community’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and align climate change initiatives with national priorities.
The Asia-Pacific Housing Forum, which has been attended by more than 7,200 participants since its inaugural conference in 2007, is supported by The Hilti Foundation, Whirlpool, Agence Francaise de Developpement, and Somfy Foundation. Other partners include UN-Habitat, Cities Alliance, and Total Quality PR.
The Forum will adopt a hybrid format, with limited in-person participation in accordance with government-mandated health and safety guidelines. However, with the fluid situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers are continuously monitoring the situation with a pivot strategy in place for an enhanced fully virtual experience. Register at aphousingforum.org and find out more about the forum program, tracks and side events.
Digital Marketing in 2021: How SEO Has Become an Essential Part of Online Strategy for Businesses
68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, do business owners really realize just how essential SEO has become today as an online marketing strategy? Many actually don’t, and therefore tend to take it lightly.
It is generally known that search engine optimization (SEO) is what a business owner does to ensure their digital properties (such as web pages) can be found online when their target audience searches the web with keywords related to their industry, products or services.
But, given that 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, do business owners really realize just how essential SEO has become today as an online marketing strategy? Many actually don’t, and therefore tend to take it lightly.
No wonder the experts at Inspira Digital Agency here in Thailand see the need to highlight how SEO has become the key to digital marketing success for businesses in 2021 and beyond.
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Digital Marketing in 2021: How SEO Has Become an Essential Part of Online Strategy for Businesses
First, it’s important to understand that organic search today is the major source of website traffic for businesses, whether small, medium, or large. In fact, according to research by Bright Edge, up to 53.3% of all website traffic comes from organic search; and Google, as the organic search market leader, controls a whopping 92.96% of this organic search traffic.
What this tells us is that PPC campaigns, social media and other traffic sources pale in comparison to organic search when it comes to traffic generation, and SEO happens to be the only way business owners can claim their share of organic traffic.
When it comes to building trust and credibility, and being recognized as an industry authority, any business with an online presence simply cannot disregard SEO. As Cookie Veeratat, Account Manager at Inspira Digital Agency, states, “our clients are beginning to understand more and more, the necessity of SEO to strengthen their target consumers’ perception of their brand as an industry authority.”
She further explained that “this could be as a result of them coming to realize that the more their target audience keep seeing their brand name and web pages on the number one search engine results page of a leading search company like Google when they search for pertinent information, the more these consumers will regard their business as relevant, credible, and authoritative.”
For a brand looking to build authority and trust which are vital for success in marketing, ranking its web pages high on Google’s (or any other search platform’s) SERPs can only be achieved with good SEO, which accounts for optimized content and on-page elements, quality backlink profiles, positive user behavior, and machine-learning signals.
As the use of mobile devices to access the web continues to grow, so does the need for small and medium-sized businesses to optimize their web pages for local search. Consumer insights obtained from a study by Think with Google have it that 30% of all mobile searches are related to location, and 76% of people who use their smartphones to search for nearby products and services visit a business within a day.
Digital Marketing in 2021: How SEO Has Become an Essential Part of Online Strategy for BusinessesSo local SEO, which involves the optimization of digital properties for a particular locality such as a town or city, ensures consumers who are in the same vicinity as a locally optimized business can find it quickly and easily.
Commenting on how essential local SEO can be for businesses, Xavier Cloitre, Managing Director of Inspira Digital Agency, notes that “local SEO is a sure way to increase engagement, traffic, and conversions.” Going further, he revealed that “in order to boost engagement on the local level, the first thing our SEO pros do is to optimize a brand’s Google Business Profile, its Knowledge Graph panel, and its social media profiles…”
Ultimately, in order to market better to their target audience and position their brand for constant growth, business owners need a good knowledge of the web environment, the tactics used by their competitors, and their own level of performance at any point in time. The good news is that the process of SEO can equip them with such useful insights as it incorporates in-depth research, tracking, and analytics.
“The bottom line remains that the essentiality of SEO as part of the online strategy of businesses today and in the future cannot be overemphasized – it is absolutely necessary for successful marketing,” Cookie Veeratat concludes.
Digital Marketing in 2021: How SEO Has Become an Essential Part of Online Strategy for Businesses
About Inspira Digital Agency
Inspira Digital Agency is a full-service digital marketing and SEO Company in Thailand focused on helping businesses achieve their online marketing goals. Find out more about how Inspira creates and executes effective digital strategies at inspiradigitalagency.com. You can also reach out via contact@inspiradigitalagecy.com, or call +66 (0)8 1466 7837.
Thailand set to resume rice export to Iraq after seven years
Thai exporters are currently preparing to export 44,000 tonnes of 100 per cent white rice to Iraq for the first time in seven years after Baghdad had suspended the import of Thai rice.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said on his Facebook post on Sunday that he expected the export in the middle of August this year, after which Thai exporters could gradually export more rice to Iraq.
“The government is ready to promote Thai exporters to open more rice markets in addition to the three main markets — premium, general and niche — which will be a positive sentiment for Thai rice farmers as well,” he said.
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He added that the government is also ready to promote Thai exporters to trade agricultural products in Asia, the Middle East and other regions.
“Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the Commerce Ministry to promote rice and other Thai agricultural products to increase their share in the global market and compensate for the slowdown in domestic consumption due to Covid-19 and the economic slowdown,” he added.
Limited upside for SET amid extension of lockdown, increase in dark red Covid provinces
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index fell by 4.77 points, or 0.31 per cent, to 1,517.15 on Monday morning.
The SET Index closed at 1,521.92 on Friday, down 15.86 points or 1.03 per cent. Transactions totalled THB87.72 billion with an index high of 1,539.03 and a low of 1,516.77.
Krungsri Securities predicted the index on Monday would fluctuate between 1,510 and 1,530 points due to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration‘s move to extend lockdown measures and include more provinces in the high-risk “dark red” zone to curb rising Covid-19 cases, which would impact the economy and foreign funds flow.
“However, mass buy-ups of shares that have gained positive sentiment would help boost the index,” Krungsri Securities said.
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It recommended that investors buy:
▪︎ HANA, KCE, TU, CPF, ASIAN and EPG, which would benefit from the weakening baht.
▪︎ BCH, CHG, BDMS, DOHOME, BEM, CKP, CBG, OSP, ICHI, GPSC, BEC, GUNKUL, JWD, WICE, SONIC and NER, whose second-quarter business turnover is expected to improve.
EV
EV
Thailand looks to e-mobility to help residents breathe cleaner air
Habitat for Humanity to hold Asia-Pacific Housing Forum in Thailand for the third timeSome of the main speakers of the Asia-Pacific Housing Forum include Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of UN-Habitat, and Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International.
Digital Marketing in 2021: How SEO Has Become an Essential Part of Online Strategy for Businesses
Digital Marketing in 2021: How SEO Has Become an Essential Part of Online Strategy for BusinessesSo local SEO, which involves the optimization of digital properties for a particular locality such as a town or city, ensures consumers who are in the same vicinity as a locally optimized business can find it quickly and easily.
Digital Marketing in 2021: How SEO Has Become an Essential Part of Online Strategy for Businesses
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