The Stock Exchange of Thailand expects initial public offerings will reach a record high this year, with market capitalisation of newly listed companies surpassing 120 billion baht. Market capitalisation based on IPO prices of new companies and property funds listed on both the SET and the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI) last year amounted to 116 billion baht.

Their market capitalisation swelled to 180 billion baht at the end of last year. Seven companies have submitted filings to stock regulators to launch their IPOs, while another 10 will likely apply for listing in April and May. “The window of opportunity for IPOs is opening up after being shuttered for many years. Last year was the first time in six years the capital market was free from political unrest and other domestic factors, dating back to the period of capital controls,”

said Chanitr Charnchainarong, head of issuings and listings and the MAI’s president. For the first two months this year, four companies with market capitalisation of 22 billion baht listed on the stock markets _ three on the MAI and one on the SET. The benchmark SET index closed up 0.65% yesterday at 1,559.35 points amid active trading of 60.5 billion baht. Read More