Hang Seng Index futures opened the day session up 0.43% at 24,980, trading 62 points above the cash index.

Deputy Finance Minister Santitarn Sathirathai said the Thai baht’s recent decline—about 8% from its January five-year high—will support exports and tourism, two key growth drivers. The move has come amid a stronger US dollar and after authorities cracked down on gold speculation and eased capital outflow rules. The baht is among Asia’s worst-performing currencies this year, behind the Philippine peso, Indian rupee and Indonesian rupiah. Santitarn, a former BOT rate‑setting committee member (2023–early 2026), said policymakers do not target a specific exchange rate and have not been forced to use interest-rate adjustments to counter the currency, a stance he said preserves room to act if needed.

ANTHROPIC launches Claude product for financial advisors.