Globlex Suggests 6 Stocks to Buy on the Lifting of Lockdown

The Thai market is expected to move sideways up at around 1,600-1,650. Globlex Securities (GBS) forecasts that partially easing some of lockdowns from September 1 in Thailand and the U.S. Federal Reserve signaling for asset tapering later this year, will significantly drive the SET Index for a while.   

Indoor dining-in at 50% capacity and shopping centers will be allowed to reopen until 20:00 starting tomorrow. The move comes as COVID-19 infection rates continue to drop and hospital occupancy rates among green- and yellow-coded patients in the Bangkok area gradually improve. 

Apart from domestic factors, the SET Index also received a boost from the Jackson Hole economic symposium, where Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated that the Fed could start tapering its current $120 billion asset purchases this year as the central bank is carefully assessing the risks from the Covid-19 Delta variant, while seeing interest rate hikes are still ways off.

Plus the arrival of Hurricane Ida, which forced numerous oil companies to cease operations in the Gulf of Mexico. GBS believes that this incident will support oil-related and energy stocks. 

For an investment theme, GBS suggests country reopening plays, in particular stocks that will take advantage from the relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown, such as shopping mall stocks; CPN, CRC and MBK, and restaurant stocks; AU, M and ZEN.