Futures Focus

The SET50 Index closed last week at 1,154.71 points, a decrease of 33.41 points or 2.8% from the previous week. The most traded SET50 Futures contract S50G18 (expiring in February 2018) was settled at 1,153.50 points, a decrease of 34.5 points or 2.9%.

Signs of a strong economic recovery have proved to be a double-edged sword in the US, as fears of renewed inflation that could require several interest-rate increases to tame sent equities plunging. A second brief US government shutdown caused by legislators feuding over budget details also sapped confidence.

On Thursday the Dow shed 1,032.89 points, or 4.2%, its second worst point decline in history. The Dow recovered on Friday to gain 330 points or 1.4% and finish the week at 24,190.90, down 4.6% from 25,520.96 the week before.

Trading on the Thai stock market was also volatile, with the main gauge moving between 1,760 and 1,811 points. However, there was some buying in energy and big caps for speculation. The SET Index sank early Friday but recovered to finish with a drop of just 0.21 points to close at 1,786.45, a decrease of 2.2% from 1,827.35 the week before.

On the TFEX, daily average trading volume was 3,362,103 contracts, a decrease of 396,736 contracts or 10.55% from the previous week.

The most actively traded product was Single Stock Futures with 1,744,552 contracts, or 436,138 per day. Total market open interest was 3,077,673 contracts, an increase of 872,208 or 39.5%.