Thai Baht Rises to Strongest Since 1997 as Investors Buy Stocks
By Jake Lee and Yumi Teso
Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- The Thai baht rose to the strongest since 1997 in offshore trade, as international investors increased purchases of the country's stocks.
The economy will expand as much as 5 percent in 2007, driven by exports, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said yesterday. Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula on Jan. 18 said growth was ``at least 5 percent'' last year. Global investors have been net buyers of equities for the past 10 days, the longest streak since October, stock exchange data show.
``Fund inflows into Thai stocks are a good factor and supportive for the baht,'' said Minoru Shioiri, a senior manager of the foreign-exchange trading and credit division in Tokyo at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co.
The baht rose to as strong as 33.91 against the dollar, and was at 34.04 as of 2 p.m. in London, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The currency traded at about 35 in late Asian trade yesterday, according to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. Thailand's SET Index rose 0.5 percent to 660.71, a three-week high.
Since mid-December, the central bank has imposed penalties on investors withdrawing funds within a year and issued measures to boost money leaving the country, to help stem currency gains. Bank of Thailand Governor Tarisa Watanagase Jan. 22 said she doesn't want the baht to move ahead of other regional currencies.
Korean Economy Slows
South Korea's won dropped as much as 0.1 percent after a central bank report showed the economy slowed more than expected in the fourth quarter and exports fell.
Cooling demand from the U.S., together with the won's 8.6 percent climb last year, is curbing overseas sales. A stronger currency makes Korean goods sent abroad more expensive relative to regional rivals, reducing demand and exporter earnings. Sales abroad account for about 40 percent of the economy.
``It's quite a weak number and foreign investors are beginning to realize the Korean economy is going to slow,'' said Tetsuo Yoshikoshi, a market analyst at the treasury unit of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. in Singapore. ``The won should be one of the weakest currencies this year.''
The won weakened to as low as 937.20 and ended the day little changed at 936.00 against the dollar, according to Seoul Money Brokerage Services Ltd. It may drop to 1,000 by June, said Yoshikoshi.
Asia's third-largest economy grew 0.8 percent in the fourth quarter, the Bank of Korea said today, less than the median 1 percent forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 13 economists. The economy expanded 1.1 percent in the prior three months. Exports dropped 1 percent compared with a 2.9 percent gain in the previous three months.
Policy Meeting
The Malaysian ringgit held at 3.5005 against the dollar, near the highest since 1998. The central bank tomorrow will probably keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged for a sixth straight meeting to spur growth after inflation eased in the last three months of 2006.
The government predicts the $131 billion economy expanded 5.8 percent in 2006 and estimates growth of 6 percent this year.
``People are deciding Malaysia is a good bet,'' said David Mann, a foreign-exchange strategist at Standard Chartered Bank Plc in Hong Kong. ``It's become an increasingly popular currency to go for.''
Bank Negara Malaysia will maintain its overnight policy rate at 3.5 percent, according to all 16 economists in a Bloomberg News survey.
In Indonesia, the rupiah was at 9,103 against the dollar from 9,079 yesterday. The nation's Investment Coordinating Board yesterday said foreign direct investment dropped 33 percent last year.
Elsewhere in Asia, the Singapore dollar rose 0.1 percent to S$1.5347, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The Philippine peso closed at 48.81 from 48.84 yesterday, according to the Bankers Association of the Philippines.
To contact the reporters on this story: Yumi Teso in Singapore at
[email protected] ; Jake Lee in Hong Kong at
[email protected]
Last Updated: January 25, 2007 09:14 EST