2011 a year for the patient, not mavericks | Bangkok Post: business

MARKETS

The stock market might have closed 2011 in what appears to be a subdued note, with the index down by less than 1% from 2010, but long-term investors can take heart from the lucrative dividends it has to offer.

On the last trading day of 2011 yesterday, the Stock Exchange of Thailand closed at 1,025.32 points, down by 0.72% from last year's close of 1,032.76. The SET100 index, a composite index of the top 100 stocks with the largest market capitalisation, also fell by 0.87% to close at 1,559.38 points. Daily trading was up by 0.65% by value.

While share prices did not rise much this year, the dividend yield for the market jumped by 27.4% to an average return of 3.72% in 2011 from 2.92% last year.