SINGAPORE : Thailand's stock market has become the symbol of investor disenchantment with China's economic reopening, going from market darling in January to Asia's second-worst performing markets by June, with little sign of a turnaround.
"I'm surprised that we're struggling," said Jeep Chatikavanij, portfolio manager at Bangkok-based Ton Poh Fund. Thailand recorded a current account deficit of $0.5 billion in April, reversing a $4.8 billion surplus in the previous month, as exports contracted 4.9 per cent year-on-year. Foreign investment out of the $550 billion Thai stock market stood at $995 million in May, marking the fourth straight month of outflows, the longest such streak in two years, data from Refinitiv showed.
But a government has yet to be formed, while a prime minister is expected to be selected only in August as frontrunner Pita Limjareonrat faces setbacks and challenges.