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The SET will focus on firms with good fundamentals and encourage listed companies to restructure their business to beef up competitiveness, he said.

The SET is expected to bring forward the debut of interest-rate futures from next year to the second half this year to widen the range of products listed on the Thailand Futures Exchange.

The availability of derivative warrant and equity futures will be accelerated to broaden investment and risk management products, he added.

Record Money Expo

Money Expo 2009 set a record by posting loan deals worth Bt130.32 billion, against Bt120.27 billion last year.

Santi Viriyarungsarit, chairman of the ninth annual Money Expo, said yesterday that housing loans were the top financial service worth Bt92.2 billion, representing 70.75 per cent of total transactions, followed by SME loans worth Bt30.52 billion and personal loans worth a total of Bt2.09 billion.

Demand for home loans was apparently boosted by promotions offered by banks of zero interest for the first three to nine months.

Another offer that attracted consumers was the waiving by banks of fees for refinancing homes for customers who paid by instalments over three years.

Nanyang grows 15%

Nanyang Marketing's footwear enjoyed sales growth of 15 per cent in the first quarter thanks to aggressive promotions and the government's new "15 Years of Free Education" scheme.

Sales manager Pongsak Panasiriworakul said yesterday that the company met its sales growth target of 15 per cent over the same period in the previous year.

Especially popular was the classic model of canvas shoes, which recorded sales growth of 8 per cent.

The company believes that its sales during the "back to school" shopping season will meet the target of over 15 per cent on year, he said.

Foremost honoured

Friesland Food Foremost (Thailand) has won the prestigious Reader's Digest Trusted Brand 2009 award for its Foremost dairy brand with an unanimous vote from local consumers.

Managing director Hans Huistra said yesterday that the company was honoured that the Foremost brand has been awarded the "Trusted Brands Gold Award for Packaged Drink Category in Thailand 2009".

- The Nation