Thailand’s SET Index closed at 1,264.77 points, decreased 10.56 points or 0.83%, with a trading value of THB 15.63 billion. The analyst stated that the Thai market exhibited a downward trend with thin volume as most foreign markets were closed for the Christmas Holiday.
The index was pressured by the selloff of KCE and HANA due to surging copper prices, raising their costs, as well as the weaker-than-expected Thailand’s export figures and the muted 2026 economic growth outlook.
The analyst expects the Thai market to trade sideways tomorrow.
Thailand’s exports registered a 7.1% year-on-year gain in November, lagging behind the 8.25% increase forecasted in a Reuters poll. The growth, though solid, was slightly slower than analysts’ anticipated and follows a 5.7% expansion posted in October.
Air travel across Thailand has surged ahead of the 2026 New Year holiday, with passenger numbers climbing steadily throughout December, prompting the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the Ministry of Transport to expand seat capacity and lower fares to support public travel.
Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor, Kazuo Ueda, stated that Japan’s underlying inflation continues to accelerate and is steadily nearing the central bank’s 2% target, reaffirming BOJ’s willingness to further tighten monetary policy.
China continues to limit exports of rare earth elements critical to U.S. manufacturing of permanent magnets and related products, despite a deal reached by President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to relax supply curbs. Feedback from importers indicates that, despite increased shipments from China, the U.S. industry remains unable to procure the necessary raw materials to produce these items domestically.
