Thai stocks ended lower on Tuesday with investors taking profits after recent gains and amid jitters over the direction of US interest rates.
The benchmark Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index closed down 0.67 points, or 0.11 percent, at 629.36. The big-cap SET 50 lost 0.07 percent to 42.79 points.
Turnover rose to 19.1 billion baht ($467 million) from 16.5 billion baht on Monday.
"The market was worried about the direction of US interest rates so they took quick profits," said Kosin Sripaiboon, vice president of research department at UOB Securities.
He expected the market to trade in a narrow range on Wednesday ahead of next week's Federal Reserve's policy-setting meeting. The US benchmark rate is expected to rise by 25 basis points. Analysts had resistance at 638 points and support at 625 points for the main index on Wednesday.
Investors cashed in recent gains in petrochemical firms and shifted into shipping and cement stocks, he said.
Aromatics (Thailand) fell 2.97 percent to 49 baht after surging more than nine percent on Monday on expectations it would benefit from strong demand and rising prices.
Syrus Securities said it expected the company to report a second quarter net profit of 1.03 billion baht, up 193 percent from the same quarter a year ago.
Cement maker TPI Polene rose 7.69 percent to end at 35 baht after hitting a session peak of 35.25 baht, its highest level since April 28.
Shares in shipping firm Thoresen Thai Agencies gained 1.9 percent to 27.5 baht.
Profit taking also hit telecom stocks, with United Communication Industry down 1.6 percent to 46.5 baht after rising more than two percent in early trade.
Analysts expected cost savings at mobile operator Total Access Communications, a unit of United Communication, after the government said on Monday it would press ahead with a new interconnection regime for the telecoms industry.
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