BANGKOK, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's stock investor confidence weakened in February as international conflicts, inflationary pressure, and a flagging local economy weighed on sentiment, a survey showed Tuesday.
The investor confidence index, which predicts market conditions over the next three months, stood at 66.11 last month, plummeting from 91.78 in January and retreating to the "bearish" zone, according to the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations (FETCO).
Investor morale declined in some categories, with retail investors down 37.9 percent and foreign investors down 33.3 percent to 66.67, while proprietary investors were up 25.0 percent and institutional investors were up 3.8 percent, the FETCO said in a statement.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand index continued to fall in February due to several factors, including fears of an intensifying trade war, selling pressure from long-term equity fund redemption, and lower-than-expected earnings from listed companies, said FETCO Chairman Kobsak Pootrakool.
Kobsak noted that factors to monitor going forward include the direction of the trade war and its impact on Asia, and local fiscal policy aimed at boosting the economy. ■
