BANGKOK, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's stock investor confidence fell in March as the eurozone's economic slowdown, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and concerns about fiscal discipline weighed on market sentiment, a survey showed on Tuesday.
The investor confidence index, which predicts market conditions over the next three months, stood at 93.07 last month, plummeting from 181.16 in the February survey to the "neutral" zone, according to the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations (FETCO).
Investor sentiment deteriorated across all categories, with retail investors down 51 percent, proprietary investors down 52.3 percent, institutional investors down 31.4 percent, and foreign investors down 50 percent, the FETCO said in a statement.
Looking ahead, external factors to watch include the Middle East conflict, which is affecting energy prices and risk assets, while upcoming policy meetings by major central banks will influence currency movements and financing costs for corporates, said FETCO Chairman Kobsak Pootrakool.
Domestically, rising energy-cost pressures could push inflation higher, reducing the likelihood of a policy-rate cut by the Thai central bank and potentially increasing the risk of further rate hikes, Kobsak said.
The new government's policy direction also bears close monitoring, particularly economic stimulus measures and plans to address the energy crisis, he noted. ■