Mr. Pobchai Phatrawit, Equity and Digital Asset Strategist at InnovestX Securities, stated on the ‘Kaohoon’ program on August 24, 2026, that the outlook for the Thai stock market at the beginning of the week, especially on Monday and Tuesday, is expected to move sideways within range before a potential recovery from mid to late-week, due to several key factors supporting investment sentiment.
For today, the market is monitoring Thailand’s export figures for July 2026, which are expected to grow by 19%, close to the 20.8% growth of the previous month. Meanwhile, imports are projected to rise by 42.3%, moderating from 50.3% in the previous month. As a result, the trade deficit is likely to persist for a tenth consecutive month, but it is expected to narrow to $5.4 billion from the previous month’s $6.5 billion deficit.
Mid-week, attention turns to a key event: the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on August 26. The committee is expected to maintain the policy interest rate at 1%, while the market is also watching for any upward revisions to Thailand’s economic estimates. In addition, the Thailand Focus event will serve as another factor to boost foreign investor interest and support fund inflows.
Historical data from the past five years indicate that, in the three to five days prior to and during the Thailand Focus event, the SET Index typically rises by about 2% on average. Foreign investors also tend to have a net buying position in Thai equities, averaging THB 3 – 4 billion per day, while institutional investors have a comparable net buying average of about THB 3.5 billion per day, reflecting the event’s positive impact on confidence in Thailand’s capital market.
Stocks with a track record of strong performance during past Thailand Focus events include CRC, CPN, GPSC, KKP, PTTGC, CENTEL, and WHA. Of these, CRC, CPN, and WHA have seen consistent gains throughout the five-year period during the event. However, it should be noted that historical performance does not guarantee this year’s returns, as such fundamental factors should also be considered.
The theme of this year’s Thailand Focus is the investment in new industries, particularly AI, data centers, and new energy sources. Accordingly, GPSC is attractive due to its opportunity to supply power to data center businesses, while WHA stands to benefit from investment and demand for industrial estate space. CRC, CPN, and CENTEL are also positioned to indirectly benefit from increased investment and a boost in economic activity.
On the international front, investors are watching the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole Symposium from August 27 – 29 to gauge the direction of U.S. monetary policy. Meanwhile, U.S. long-term Treasury yields remain elevated, even as the U.S. Treasury plans to increase bond buybacks. Market concerns persist regarding funding sources, the issuance of short-term bonds, and capital raising by large technology companies for AI, cloud, and data center investments.
