1) Thai stock market overview
Thailand’s SET Index closed at 1,633.57 points, increased 17.75 points or 1.10% with a trading value of 76 billion baht. The analyst stated that the Thai stock market moved in the same direction as regional markets in a speculation of energy stocks as energy shortage in Europe pushed coal and oil prices higher. The analyst expected the Thai stock market to be relatively stable tomorrow after a sharp increase, giving a support level at 1,620 points and a resistance level at 1,645 points.
2) Business activity in Eurozone falls for the second-straight month
Eurozone business activity contracted for a second straight month in August as the cost of living crisis forced consumers to cut spending while manufacturing was further hampered by supply shortages, a survey showed on Tuesday.
According to the ‘flash’ report, the seasonally adjusted S&P Global Eurozone PMI Composite Output Index fell to 49.2 in August from 49.9 in July. After 16 consecutive months of expansion, the index showed a second consecutive decline in economic activity across the Eurozone. Although still minor, the recent drop was more sharper than the one recorded in July.
The largest economies in the Eurozone saw the biggest drops in business activity. Germany’s manufacturing production fell by an even larger margin, while the country’s services sector shrank at its fastest pace since June 2020, leading to the country’s worst decrease in output since then. A steep dip in industrial output and slower growth in the services sector contributed to the first decline in French activity in a year and a half. Aside from the ‘big two,’ production kept going up, albeit slowly.
3) Singapore’s core inflation surges nearly 5% in July on rising food and energy prices
Singapore’s core inflation rate reached a record high of 4.8% in July, the second consecutive month that it topped the 4% rate last seen during the global financial crisis, according to official data released on Tuesday. The increase was driven mostly by higher increases in food, energy, and gas prices.
This is above the 4.4% increase seen in June and the 4.7% growth predicted by Reuters.
Meanwhile, headline inflation in July — which includes housing and transportation costs—was in line with economists’ predictions, coming in at 7% after rising to 6.7% in June.
In spite of this, both the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) have stuck with their revised full-year projections in July of 3–4% for core inflation and 5%–6% for headline inflation for the full year.
4) Euro hits fresh 2-year low on energy crisis
The euro fell to a new two-decade low on Tuesday as Europe was weakened by fears over energy supply and economic growth.
At its recent lowest, the euro dropped to 0.9909 against US dollar, a level not seen since late 2002. It is currently trading at $0.9914, down 0.29%.
