**Thai Stock Market Concerns Amid Global Financial Uncertainty**
The Thai stock market has faced consecutive declines over the past three sessions, shedding over a dozen points, or 0.8 percent, during this period. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) currently positions itself slightly above the 1,320-point mark and shows signs of potential further downturns moving into Thursday.
**Global Market Forecast**
The outlook for Asian markets points towards a phase of consolidation, particularly within technology and semiconductor sectors. Both European and U.S. markets experienced declines, with Asian exchanges expected to mirror this trend.
**Market Performance Recap**
On Wednesday, the SET saw a marginal drop, impacted by losses in the food, finance, industrial, property, and service sectors. These losses were somewhat offset by gains in technology and resource stocks.
**Market Metrics**
For the day, the SET index fell by 1.52 points, or 0.12 percent, concluding at 1,319.79. Trading ranged between 1,318.41 and 1,330.22, with a volume of 10.315 billion shares worth 46.557 billion baht. There were 342 decliners compared to 143 gainers, while 167 stocks remained unchanged.
**Active Stocks Analysis**
- Advanced Info Service surged by 1.82 percent
- Thailand Airport decreased by 1.29 percent
- Banpu dropped by 1.90 percent
- Bangkok Bank fell by 0.37 percent
- Bangkok Dusit Medical declined by 0.94 percent
- Bangkok Expressway lost 0.64 percent
- B. Grimm Power dropped 0.89 percent
- BTS Group Holdings decreased by 1.46 percent
- CP All Public gained 0.44 percent
- Energy Absolute plummeted 30.05 percent
- Gulf Energy Development leaped by 6.51 percent
- Kasikornbank rose by 0.40 percent
- Krung Thai Bank slipped by 0.57 percent
- PTT Oil & Retail Business declined by 0.61 percent
- PTT Public Company Limited surged by 1.56 percent
- PTT Exploration and Production decreased by 0.34 percent
- PTT Global Chemical fell by 1.72 percent
- SCG Packaging lost 4.13 percent
- Thai Oil dropped by 1.43 percent
- True Corporation skidded by 1.10 percent
- TTB Bank, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Siam Commercial Bank, Krung Thai Card, Siam Cement, and Asset World Corporation remained unchanged
**Wall Street Influence**
Wall Street presented a mixed bag; the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a new record, soaring 243.60 points (0.59 percent) to end at 41,198.08. Conversely, the NASDAQ stumbled, dropping 512.42 points (2.77 percent) to close at 17,996.92, and the S&P 500 declined by 78.93 points (1.39 percent) to settle at 5,588.27.
The decline was driven by semiconductor stocks following reports that President Joe Biden's administration is contemplating stricter trade regulations against firms involved in the semiconductor industry with China. Additionally, former President Donald Trump generated some market unease by suggesting Taiwan should compensate the U.S. for defense efforts, highlighting the island's significant stake in the U.S. chip market.
**Economic Indicators**
The Commerce Department reported a notable rebound in new residential construction and building permits for June. Moreover, the Federal Reserve indicated that U.S. industrial production exceeded expectations last month.
**Oil Market Movement**
Oil prices saw significant gains on Wednesday due to an unexpected plunge in U.S. crude inventories, coupled with a weaker dollar. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for August increased by $2.09, or 2.6 percent, settling at $82.85 per barrel.
