Thai Shares Set to Recover After Weak U.S. Jobs Data

U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose just 29,000 in September, well below forecasts for about 89,000, while unemployment climbed to 4.2% from 4.1%. Traders now see the chance of a rate hike at the Fed’s next meeting falling to about 22%, a sharp repricing that helped Wall Street finish higher on Thursday, with the Nasdaq gaining 1.19%, the S&P 500 0.73% and the Dow Jones 0.49%.

That backdrop is spilling into Asia. Japan’s Nikkei opened up 1.17%, while Thailand’s SET closed the previous session at 1,571.62, up 0.49%, and analysts said the index could trade between support at 1,560 and resistance at 1,585. The baht was steady at 33.56 per dollar, while foreign investors sold a net 844.55 million baht on the day and have been net sellers for about nine straight sessions, worth roughly 35 billion baht in total.

Local traders are also looking for signs that the selling tied to Thailand’s flood damage is easing. Analysts said much of the bad news has likely been priced in, and any slowdown in foreign outflows would help stabilize the market after recent weakness in risk assets.

For investors, the immediate focus is whether the U.S. labor slowdown turns into a broader growth scare or simply gives the Fed more room to pause. If yields and the dollar keep softening, Thai stocks could extend their rebound, but flood headlines, fund flows and the next set of U.S. macro releases will decide whether the recovery lasts.