BANGKOK, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's stock investor confidence improved slightly in April, supported by the government's stimulus package, fund inflows, and tourism recovery, a survey showed Thursday.
The investor confidence index, which predicts market conditions over the next three months, stood at 64.10 last month, picking up from 60.93 in March but remaining in the "bearish" zone, according to the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations (FETCO).
Investor sentiment increased in some categories, with institutional investors up 17.7 percent and retail investors up 9.9 percent, while proprietary investors and foreign investors stayed unchanged, the FETCO said in a statement.
The Thai capital market experienced fluctuations in April due to U.S. tariffs, slow recovery of the local economy, a lower-than-anticipated tourism recovery, and Moody's revising Thailand's outlook to "negative" from "stable," said FETCO Chairman Kobsak Pootrakool.
However, the Thai central bank's decision to reduce its policy interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.75 percent helped offset some losses, Kobsak said.
He noted that key external factors to monitor include U.S. trade policy, specifically tariffs with major economies, the potential for global economic slowdown, and ongoing geopolitical tensions.
