The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has launched “Your 1st Stock” project in its third year, aiming to increase new quality investor base as part of the Thai capital market sustainable development. This year’s project is under “Planning, selection, investing with quality” concept focusing on new investors who are young working people categorized by career segmentation, mostly private firms employees, government officials, reporters, teachers and university students.
SET has also joined hands with 27 leading security firms, Thai Financial Planners Association (TFPA) and Investment Analysts Association (IAA) to develop intensive contents for all investors' needs. The contents provide stock selection techniques, from basic to advanced, through seminars and workshops, to create online investment knowledge and to promote investment discipline aiming for the number of new investors to increase by 95,000 in 2015.
SET Executive Vice President Santi Kiranand stated that in 2014, the number of trading accounts jumped to 20 percent or an average of 14,000 accounts per month partly due to SET’s marketing activities to promote investment literacy and expand investor base. In the past five years the number of retail trading accounts has been rising substantially with an average of 14 percent growth, compared to 3-5 percent previously, reflecting investors' rising interest.
“Your 1st Stock” project was initiated in 2013 to prepare new investors to start trading and practice their investment skills systematically, supporting them to plan, select and analyze stocks with quality. More than 240,000 investors participated in this project, accounting for 75 percent of total new investors. This year’s project has been designed to effectively meet investors’ needs,” added Santi.
Charnchai Kongthongluck, president of Association of Thai Securities Companies, said that the first stock selection was considered an important step that could affect one’s investment attitude. Therefore, new investors should have a good start. As the number of the young up-and-coming career people, age around 30, has been continuous increasing, they tended to update investment information and use investment tools blended in their lifestyle. As such this project could match their investment behavior and demand, while increasing quality investor base and enhancing the whole industry sustainably.
TFPA Chairman Teera Phutrakul said that the cooperation was in line with TFPA’s mission to promote financial planning discipline among the Thai people. Currently there been increasing interest on investment planning for future security. The recent TFPA marketing activities to promote investment planning in Bangkok and provinces have been very successful. For “Your 1st Stock” project, we have jointly developed contents, providing online investment solutions to promote investment planning among participants.
IAA President Ratchakritpong Ekrangsun said that investment research was a vital element to boost analysts’ quality as well as to support investors’ decision making. Therefore, at this event, IAA would share top stock information and monthly industry analysis, as well as providing first stock selection techniques and other investment information.