Thai share prices closed 0.53 percent lower on Friday as investors remained jittery on the eve of a planned protest against the kingdom's military-backed government, dealers said. They said the market was also sluggish due to a lack of positive leads.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index fell 4.15 points to 772.05, while the blue chip SET 50 index declined 4.00 points to 548.01. Losers led gainers 174 to 151 with 136 stocks unchanged on turnover of 4.4 billion shares worth 20 billion baht (566 million dollars).
The Thai baht moved little from Thursday, closing at 34.59-60 to the dollar. Against the euro, the Thai unit finished at 46.42-47 from 46.26-31. "Investors refrained from buying because they are worried over violence" during Saturday's rally, Chai Chirasevenupraphand, a market strategist at Capital Nomura Securities.
An anti-junta group, set up by allies of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, plans to hold a major demonstration in central Bangkok on Saturday to demand an end to the military government. Since late May, the Thai capital has been rocked by daily anti-junta protests, which so far have been largely peaceful. Thaksin has remained in self-imposed exile since last year's coup, and currently lives in London.
Thailand's top energy firm PTT fell 2.00 baht to 266.00 while its unit PTT Exploration and Production declined 1.00 to 109.00. The kingdom's top lender Bangkok Bank also lost 1.00 to 118.00 and the third largest lender Kasikorn Bank was down 1.00 at 73.00. Thai Airways International slipped 0.25 to 44.50 and Thailand's largest mobile phone operator, Advanced Info Service (AIS), fell 1.50 to 86.50.
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