Thailand








Energy Markets

Fossil Fuels

Oil & Gas

Thailand's central bank reduces growth for 2026, but says there are no limits to the worst-case scenario if war continues

Thailand's growth will be slower this year due to the Iran conflict and there are "nearly no limits" in worst-case scenarios if the conflict continues. A senior central bank official said. The Assistant Governor Chayawadee Chaianant stated that the growth of the Southeast Asian nation was slowing. This is because the country's economy, which is highly exposed to global economic conditions due to its high dependence on imported energy imports, has a low rate of growth. The U.S./Israeli war against Iran has led to a decline in tourism and an increase in import costs. Chai-anant, on the sidelines at the...

Fossil Fuels

As Asia and Europe compete for supplies, US crude prices have reached record highs.

Industry sources say that spot premiums for U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude are at all-time highs due to the fierce competition for oil supply between Asian and European refiners. This is in response to Middle Eastern oil flow disruptions caused by the Iran War. Europe is the biggest importer of U.S. oil, but the competition has increased as Asian buyers are searching for supplies from the Americas and Africa to Europe to replace Middle Eastern crude that cannot move through the Strait of Hormuz. Sources and analysts say that the increase in crude oil prices has increased costs for refiners...

Fossil Fuels

After talks with Iran, a Thai tanker successfully transits the Strait of Hormuz

A Thai oil tanker safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz after diplomatic coordination between Thailand and Iran. The vessel's owner and the Thai government confirmed this on Wednesday. After successful discussions between Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, and Iran's Ambassador to Thailand, the tanker owned by Bangchak Corporation crossed the strategic waterway Monday. "I asked that if Thai vessels need to cross the strait they could assist in ensuring a safe passage?" Sihasak spoke to reporters late on Tuesday. They said they would handle it, and asked for the names of the vessels that would be passing through. The U.S....

Fossil Fuels

Thailand presents new trade proposal that offers zero tariffs for many US products

The Thai Finance Minister announced on Monday that Thailand had submitted a new proposal to the United States. It offered to reduce tariffs to zero for many U.S. imported products in an effort to avoid steep tariff increases on its own goods. Washington has threatened to levy a 36% tax on Thai imports, if no agreement is reached before July 9th when the 90-day period that caps tariffs at 10% for most countries expires. Last year, the United States was Thailand's largest export market, accounting for 18.3%, or $54,96 billion, in total. Washington claims that its trade deficit with Thailand...

Electric Utilities

Investor's letter: Vietnam cuts retroactively subsidies for solar and wind farms

According to a petition from investors, Vietnam's state-owned power utility has reduced the subsidised prices that it pays for electricity generated by solar and wind farms. These farms now face defaulting on their bank debts. The document was sent to Vietnam's highest authorities on May 16, and follows a letter from the majority of signatories in which they warned that billions of dollars were at risk due to retroactive changes made by Vietnamese authorities to subsidies, even though they were targeting a massive expansion of solar energy capacity. Documents show that, starting with invoices for January, a subsidiary EVN's Vietnam...

Fossil Fuels

Saigo, a Japanese player, wins Chevron in the largest major LPGA playoff ever.

Mao Saigo, a Japanese player, won the Chevron Championship after beating four other players in a sudden-death playoff. The 23-year old won his first major after being tied with Ryu Haeran of South Korea after three rounds. However, a few late mistakes led to a score of two over par on Sunday. She sank a birdie on the par five 18th hole to keep herself in it. She joined China's Yin Ruoning and South Korean Kim Hyo Joo as well as Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, and Lindy Duncan from the United States, in the playoff. In a televised statement, she said:...

Oil & Gas

Sources say that Itochu will not participate in the Seven & i Buyout.

Two sources familiar with the matter have confirmed that Japan's Itochu has withdrawn from a proposed buyout of Seven & i Holdings by the founding family. Seven & i founders Ito family started talks with the Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard to privatize the company for a reported $58 billion. Nikkei reported on Wednesday morning that Itochu decided to not participate in the purchase. Nikkei reported that Itochu considered investing 1 trillion yen (6.69 billion dollars) but saw little synergy between its food and beverages business and Seven & i. Seven & i & Itochu declined comment. Itochu's decision not to...

Renewable Energy Equipment

United States sets tariffs for photovoltaic panels from Southeast Asian countries

U.S. trade officials on Friday announced a brand-new round of tariffs on solar panel imports from 4 Southeast Asian nations after American manufacturers grumbled that business there are flooding the marketplace with unjustly low-cost products. It is the second of 2 initial decisions that President Joe Biden's Commerce Department is making this year in a trade case brought by Korea's Hanwha Qcells, Arizonabased First Solar Inc and several smaller producers seeking to protect billions of dollars in financial investments in U.S. solar manufacturing. This is the latest chapter in a more than decadelong trade war with Chinese companies over their...

Fossil Fuels

MORNING BID ASIA-Markets mull potential United States 'no landing'

A take a look at the day ahead in Asian markets. Trading in Asia begins on Monday with the worldwide macro and market landscape all of a sudden appearing really various from how it searched Friday, thanks to a set of U.S. work figures that not even the most bullish of forecasters expected. The September non-farm payrolls report on Friday was unequivocally strong on all fronts, and throws into doubt the projected path for U.S. rate of interest that financiers - and possibly the Fed too - had started to settle on. The instant shift in U.S. rate futures markets...

Oil & Gas

India greatly raises import tax on edible oils to support farmers

India has raised the fundamental import tax on crude and fine-tuned edible oils by 20 portion points, the government stated on Friday, as the world's greatest edible oil importer attempts to assist secure farmers reeling from lower oilseed prices The move could lift edible oil prices and dampen need and consequently decrease abroad purchases of palm oil, soyoil and sunflower oil. After the duty walking announcement, Chicago Board of Trade soyoil extended losses and fell more than 2%. New Delhi on Friday imposed a 20% fundamental customs task on crude palm oil, crude soyoil and unrefined sunflower oil from Sept....

Fossil Fuels

Thailand to expand state equity fund to purchase regional stocks

Thailand's cabinet on Tuesday consented to increase the size of a current federal government equity mutual fund to invest in Thai stocks, a deputy financing minister stated, as the government looks for to support Asia's worst carrying out bourse this year. The fund will be positive for the capital market and offer a choice for savings, Paopoom Rojanasakul told reporters, without divulging the increased fund quantity. Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has previously stated the size of the Vayupak Mutual Fund would be raised by 100 billion baht ($ 2.84 billion) to 150 billion baht. Pichai and other officials will hold...

Fossil Fuels

MORNING BID ASIA-Resilience vs quarter-end caution

A look at the day ahead in Asian markets. The very first meaning that appears in an online search for the meaning of durability is the capacity to withstand or to recover rapidly from troubles; durability. In worldwide markets today, one word probably is adequate: Nasdaq or Nvidia. Shares in the world's AI and chip beloved roared back 6.8%. on Tuesday for their best day in a month, enough to recover the. previous day's downturn, narrow the current correction, and set the. tone for a tech-led increase in U.S. and international equities. There was no fresh news or motivation behind...

Environment

Environment

US opens unfair trade probes to rebuild Trump’s tariff pressure

The U.S. administration of President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that it was launching two trade inquiries into excessive industrial capacity and forced labor in 16 major trading partner countries. This is to rebuild tariff pressure following the Supreme Court's decision last month which threw out much of Trump's tariff plan. According to U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer, China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, 'South Korea, and Mexico could be subjected to new tariffs as early as this summer, under a 'Section 301' investigation into unfair trade practices. Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand are also trading partners that may be...

Pollution

Thailand releases endangered Leopard Sharks as part of conservation efforts

A young Indo-Pacific Leopard Shark glided into the waters of southern Thailand's Maiton island after a short countdown. This was the first attempt to "rewild" this endangered species. The spotted shark, once a common sight among snorkelers and divers, has been declining in the wild due to habitat loss and overfishing over the last decade, even though they thrived in private tanks. Why not release the successful breeding population from the aquariums back into nature so that the wild populations can recover? Metavee Chuangcharoendee is the project manager of the StAR Project Thailand. This partnership was launched last year by...

Climate Change

Researchers say that climate change is a major factor in the deadly November Asian storms.

Scientists said that the storms which devastated Sri Lanka in late November, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand were'supercharged' by increased sea temperatures, and made worse by rapid forest destruction, according to a new study. Tropical Cyclone Senyar, which formed in the Malacca Strait and devastated Southeast Asia, killed nearly 1,200 people, 969 of whom were on Sumatra, an island in Indonesia. For the damages to be repaired, at least $3 billion is needed in relief funds. Sri Lanka has been hit by flooding and landslides due to Tropical Cyclone Ditwah. The death toll is over?600, and the economic losses are estimated...

Mining

Mineral Resources

Mineral Resources

Indonesia Stock Exchange to release $11 billion in shares amid global scrutiny

According to an IDX official and an analysis of publicly available data, nearly one third of the companies listed on 'the Indonesia Stock Exchange', including its largest listings, could be affected by capital markets reforms promised by Jakarta. This could potentially unleash over $11 billion of new share supply. Indonesia has announced a number of capital market reforms after index provider MSCI warned in late January that the country could be downgraded to frontier status by May due to the opacity on the market, which'may have enabled price manipulation. The plan includes a key component of raising the minimum level...

Mineral Resources

Han's CNC jumps almost 15%; Muyuan, the world's largest pig producer, is flat at its Hong Kong debut

Muyuan Foods shares closed slightly higher on Friday in Hong Kong, following the world's largest pig breeder. raised HK$10.7 Billion ($1.4 Billion) in a share sale This is the largest city-wide event so far in this year. The shares of the firm opened at HK$39 per share, matching their initial offer, and ended 3.9% higher, at HK$40.52, after trading between HK$38.98 and HK$41.72, with 40.59 millions shares worth HK$1.63billion changing hands. The benchmark Hang Seng Index ended 1.2% lower. This is the biggest share sale in Hong Kong in recent memory, surpassing Zijin Gold International $3.5 billion in September. Dickie...

Mineral Resources

Chow Tai Fook, the world's largest jeweller from China, opens in Bangkok and plans to expand globally

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group is China's largest jewellery retailer with thousands of shops across mainland China and Hong Kong. The group has begun to look further afield in search of new growth. It started?in Southeast Asia, with a brand-new store in Thailand. The company opened its flagship store at Bangkok's Siam Paragon, a luxury shopping and lifestyle center in Bangkok. This move is part a 'wave' of Chinese and Hong Kong brands moving abroad to offset slowing domestic demand and rising market saturation in the world’s second-largest economic powerhouse. Sonia Cheng said that the company's expansion abroad "sees strong...

Mineral Resources

Allegro sells businesses in Slovenia and Croatia Mutares

Allegro, a Polish ecommerce company, announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to sell its operations in Slovenia and Croatia?to Mutares of Germany. Allegro is aiming to simplify?its global footprint. Allegro claimed that the sale was the last step to turning around Mall Group. The group bought the company in 2022 as a first move beyond its home market Poland. Allegro expanded its presence in Central Europe with the deal, but so far international operations have weighed on its profitability. Allegro announced in March that it would pause the rollout of its third-party market in other countries until it increased...

Mineral Resources

Thai central bank plans to cut rates and ease the strong baht

Thailand's central banks is preparing measures to reduce the upward pressure of the baht. This includes tightening controls by banks on gold-related transactions in foreign exchange and requiring gold traders to provide their transaction data. The baht is Asia's second best performing currency, having gained 7% in value against the dollar this year. The appreciation of the baht is a threat to Thailand's export and tourism industries. In a recent statement, the Bank of Thailand said that it closely monitors the baht's volatility and will take action to minimize the impact of any fluctuations on businesses. The BOT will propose...

Mineral Resources

Nippon Steel excludes US Steel in its profit guidance due to'significant' market issues

Nippon Steel is Japan's largest steelmaker. It expects to report an annual profit drop of 14% before one-offs in the current fiscal year. However, it did not include its outlook for U.S. Steel due to the significant challenges on the U.S. Market. The Japanese steelmaker is expecting a underlying business gain, or profit adjusted to remove one-offs of 680 billion dollars for the fiscal year ending March. This is down from last year's 793.7 billion dollars. Nippon Steel acquired U.S. Steel for $15 billion in June. The company said that it had excluded the U.S. Steel business from its fiscal...

Mineral Resources

Lithium Argentina's Cauchari-Olaroz plans to triple its production by 2029

Lithium Argentina’s Cauchari-Olaroz Project in northern Argentina aims to produce 85,000 tons of battery metal per year by 2029. This is more than triple the output last year, according to Executive Vice President Ignacio Celorrio. This is one of six projects in Argentina that produce lithium, which is used to make batteries for electric cars. Lithium Argentina (listed in Canada and the U.S.) and Ganfeng Lithium, a Chinese company, are developing Cauchari-Olaroz in the Lithium Triangle, which spans Argentina and Chile, as well as Bolivia. Celorrio, speaking on the sidelines a lithium-related conference in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, said that...

Mineral Resources

US copper futures rise as tariff fears loom

U.S. Copper Futures soared by nearly 6% Monday, increasing their premium over London Prices amid growing speculation about new import tariffs after President Donald Trump’s latest aluminum trade measures. Trump announced on Friday that he would increase the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50%, up from 25%. U.S. Comex Copper Futures rose 5.7% to $4.9175 a pound. This is the highest price since April 3. The benchmark three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange rose by 1.1% at $9,597.50 a metric ton as of 0944 GMT. The COMEX premium over the LME, a global benchmark price, has...

Mineral Resources

Pandora's annual U.S. Tariff Impact is $178 Mln

Danish jeweller Pandora estimated on Thursday that the total impact of U.S. Tariffs on its company would be around 1.2 billion Danish Crowns ($178.34 millions) per year. This is before any mitigation actions taken by the company. Pandora's shares fell 12% to a low of 15 months on Thursday after U.S. president Donald Trump raised duties on imports of goods from many countries. This included a 37% duty on Thailand where the company has two factories that produce most of its charms bracelets and other jewelry. Pandora's biggest market, the U.S.A., which accounted for 31% in revenue last year, estimated...

Mineral Resources

Weather concerns to crush India's sugar production, export hopes

Sugarcane yields in India are decreasing due to in 2015's dry spell and this year's extreme rains, which could decrease the country's sugar production below usage levels for the first time in eight years, farmers and market officials said on Monday. Lower-than-expected output by the world's second-largest sugar producer might eliminate the possibility of India permitting exports in the existing season ending in September 2025, supporting worldwide sugar prices. Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh account for more than 80% of the nation's total sugar production, with lower walking cane yields in these states prompting trade homes to decrease their output...

Mineral Resources

New green steel firms could enjoy benefits as EU carbon tariffs loom

On Thailand's eastern coast, strategies are underway to develop an electric arc heater that will provide green steel to Europe and benefit from controversial brand-new guidelines that will require buyers to pay tariffs on highcarbon imports. Federal governments and market associations in Asia have lobbied ferociously against Europe's Carbon Border Change Mechanism ( CBAM) and it could cast a shadow over COP29 environment talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, next week, with China and others calling for an end to green trade barriers. CBAM was created to stop European companies averting carbon compliance expenses by sourcing commodities from regions with laxer ecological...

Mineral Resources

Thai SCG halts operations at $5.4 bln Vietnam petrochemical complex

Siam Cement Group (SCG). , Thailand's largest industrial conglomerate, said on. Monday it has actually suspended business operation at its $5.4 billion. Long Son Petrochemicals complex in Vietnam after just one month. due to the chemicals' low margin. The chemicals industry has been grappling with high. inventory and destocking for the previous couple of quarters, putting. pressure on numerous firms. The resumption will depend upon worldwide vibrant demand, SCG. said in a statement to Reuters. SCG did not provide a clear timeframe for the suspension but. expected the chemicals industry would remained tough well. into the 2025. LSP, which began...