Finance & Stock Market News

BANGKOK, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Thai shares could fall on

Thursday, with the prospect of domestic political unrest hanging

over the market and sentiment on some Asian bourses weak due to

concerns about policy tightening, analysts said.

'The index should not get past the 700 level today, largely

because several other bourses are not looking so good this

morning,' said Chakkrit Charoenmetachai, an analyst with Globlex

Securities.

Resistance on the main Thai index was put at 700 and

support at 694, then 690, he said.

On Wednesday, the index rose for a second day, edging 0.7

percent higher to 697.49, with energy heavyweights

leading the advancers. Foreigners bought 192.56 million baht

($5.8 million) of stock after selling Thai shares for two days.

'Broad concerns over tightening policies in many countries,

especially the U.S., are going to add pressures to the market,

while the upcoming political event is something people will keep

an eye on,' Chakkrit said.

Investors are worried about the possibility of unrest centred

on a court verdict on whether the assets of ousted Prime Minister

Thaksin Shinawatra were illegally amassed. The ruling is due on

Feb. 26 and his supporters have threatened protests around that

date.

In the United States, several Federal Reserve policy makers

want to begin selling securities relatively soon to cut back the

U.S. central bank's massive help to the financial system as the

economy finds its footing.

Click for cumulative trading value by investor

type.



----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 0212 GMT ------------

INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG

S&P 500 1099.51 0.42% 4.640

USD/JPY 90.97 -0.28% -0.260

10-YR US TSY YLD 3.7269 -- -0.011

SPOT GOLD 1102.4 -0.33% -3.600

US CRUDE 77.52 0.66% 0.510

DOW JONES 10309.24 0.39% 40.43

ASIA ADRS 125.47 0.22% 0.28

-------------------------------------------------------------



MARKET SUMMARY

> NYMEX-Crude inches down near $77 as dollar stays strong

> Company results, data lift Wall St; HP rises late

> FOREX-USD holds ground, Aussie hurt by IMF gold sales

> TREASURIES-U.S. bonds fall after Fed minutes, econ data

> PRECIOUS-Gold falls to $1,100/oz on IMF sale news



STOCKS AND FACTORS TO WATCH



- While the threat of political unrest has put Thailand's

markets on edge, a costly environmental row threatening to

paralyse the country's industrial heart is already squeezing

investment and could inflict greater damage.

See also Q+A and FACTBOX



- Asia Plus Securities

The Thai partner of Royal Bank of Scotland's ABN AMRO unit expects to have made its best profit in years in 2009 but

is cautious about the securities business this year.



- Central Pattana

The largest shopping mall operator said it planned to open

its first department store in China in 2012, with construction to

begin in the third quarter of this year.



- For Thai/Myanmar/Indochina top news click

- For Thailand's IPO diary click on

- For Thailand's stock exchange news click on

- For Thailand corporate earnings:

- For Thailand economic forecast:

($1=33.17 Baht)

(Reporting by Ploy Ten Kate; Editing by Alan Raybould)

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(ploy.tenkate@thomsonreuters.com; +662 648 9735; Reuters Messaging: ploy.tenkate.reuters.com@reuters.net)) (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

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