BANGKOK, Thailand — The Thai baht is expected to remain relatively resilient this week, with Kasikornbank forecasting the currency to trade between 32.90 and 33.40 baht per US dollar from August 17-21. Kasikorn Research Center said investors will closely monitor Thailand’s second-quarter 2026 GDP figures, foreign fund flows, developments in the Middle East, the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s July 28-29 meeting and China’s loan prime rate decision.
The US economic calendar will also be closely watched, including the New York and Philadelphia Federal Reserve manufacturing surveys, preliminary August PMI figures, July housing starts, industrial production and pending home sales, as well as weekly jobless claims.
Markets will also track Japan’s second-quarter GDP, China’s July economic data, July inflation figures from the UK, eurozone and Japan, and preliminary August PMI readings from several major economies.
The baht weakened gradually during August 10-14 after initially strengthening past the 33.00 level to reach 32.88 baht per dollar, its strongest level in seven weeks. The early gains followed broader strength among Asian currencies, while the US dollar remained under pressure after slower US labor-market and inflation data reduced expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike at its September meeting.
The baht closed at 33.15 baht per dollar on August 14, compared with 33.05 baht a week earlier.
Foreign investors were net buyers of Thai equities worth 2.42 billion baht during August 10-14, but were net sellers of Thai bonds worth 13.83 billion baht.
