<article><a href="http://www.scb.co.th/en/home" target="_blank">Siam Commercial Bank (SCB)</a> has a positive investment outlook for 2015. The bank expects to help launch three IPOs on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and form several REITs and infrastructure funds in the coming year.</article>

<a href="http://www.scb.co.th/en/home" target="_blank">Siam Commercial Bank (SCB)</a> has a positive investment outlook for 2015. The bank expects to help launch three IPOs on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and form several REITs and infrastructure funds in the coming year.
The three companies that are public with SCB are &#8211; <a href="http://www.easternsugar.co.th" target="_blank">Eastern Sugar</a>, <a href="http://www.bangkokranch.co.th" target="_blank">Bangkok Ranch</a> and <a href="http://www.sahakol.com/" target="_blank">Sahakol</a>. Each of them will raise around two to four billion baht in the initial public offerings (IPOs) and their combined market capital is expected to be more 30 billion baht.
SCB has already filed the relevant papers for these companies at the Securities and Exchange Commissions (SEC) and is waiting for approvals, said Vorada Thangsurbkul, head of Investment Banking Division 2, SCB.
In 2014, SCB helped three companies list on the Thai bourse; these included, <a href="http://www.thaisolarenergy.com/" target="_blank">Thai Solar Energy</a>, <a href="http://www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/thailands-epg-to-list-on-sec-this-month/" target="_blank">Eastern Polymer</a> and <a href="http://www.pcsmachinethailand.com" target="_blank">PCS Machine</a> (Thailand).
According to Thangsurbkul, the investment banking is likely to continue growing next year. The value of investment raised through IPOs, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and infrastructure funds is expected to increase to 110 billion baht in 2015 (from 80 billion baht in 2014).
“Mostly, its the medium-sized companies that tend to raise fund in the SET, but investors still prefer investing in large-sized ones due to the slowdown economy. For us (the bank), the focus is on increasing financial liquidity and managing medium-to large-sized companies rather than small ones,” she explained.
Asking if the postponed election will affect the investment next year, she said that it should not be worse than this year. “The key factor to stimulate the economy is the government’s investment projects. Another issue is the interest rate. If China cuts its interest rate and the United States increases it, more of Chinese fund may flow in to the capital markets here,” she said.
SCB has the clients in sectors like the health care (hospitals), manufacturing (factories) and office buildings business, who are preparing to launch more REITs in the coming year.
She cited that SCB is the advisor to the country’s first infrastructure fund issued by Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). The fund is expected to be formed in the first half of 2015.
Meanwhile, EGAT’s governor Soonchai Kumnoonsate said that the infrastructure fund that will go for an issue in the first quarter, will be worth around 20 billion baht.

SCB plans 3 IPOs, REITs in 2015

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SCB plans 3 IPOs, REITs in 2015

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