Futures Focus

The SET50 Index closed last week at 996.26 points, an increase of 4.16 points or 0.42% from the previous week. The most traded SET50 Futures contract S50Q17 (expiring in August 2017) was settled at 993.30 points, an increase of 2.9 points or 0.3%.

The US stock market climbed on Monday as tech stocks in the S&P500 posted their biggest gain of the year, leading the broader index to a fresh high. However, the index retreated on Tuesday as oil prices slipped to their lowest levels since September, pressuring the shares of energy companies. Stocks continued to slump and found little traction on Friday. The Dow closed down 2.5 points on Friday to finish the week at 21,394.76, almost unchanged from 21,384.28 the week before.

Meanwhile in Thailand, stocks continued to move in a narrow range. However, Thai trade could receive a lift this week from follow-ups after the SET-sponsored conference Thailand’s Big Strategic Move, held last week to give global institutional investors knowledge and update information on the government’s vision. Quarter-end institutional window dressing could also help shares this week. The SET rose 1.45 points on Friday to finish the week at 1,582.36, an increase of 0.4% from the week before.

On the TFEX, daily average volume was 237,660 contracts, a decrease of 33,098 contracts or 12.2% from a week earlier. The most actively traded product was Single Stock Futures with 712,554 contracts, or 142,511 per day. Total open interest was 2,145,893 contracts, up 96,156 or 4.7%.