The company recorded Bt5,415m net profit for the year 2009, translating to Bt0.27/share. This represented a sharp improvement form a loss as high as Bt18,262m YoY. Nonetheless, for the fourth quarter of 2009, there was a loss of Bt928m or Bt0.05/share. Although this was a marked improvement YoY but comparing QoQ, this was a sharp fall from a profit of Bt2,300m. (SET)

Banpu, the country’s largest coal-mining company, estimates its output target of 23m tonnes this year will be 6-7% on the high side and its revenue target for Indonesia 5% too high if the Jorong coal mine is suspended for the rest of the year.

PTT has diversified into energy-maintenance services through a joint venture with a GE Energy subsidiary, Granite Service International. “PTT has no intention to be the operator of a large power plant like the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, but we will focus on power maintenance services for industrial plants or oil rig platforms,” PTT president and CEO Prasert Bunsumpun said yesterday. The joint venture (JV), named PTT Management and Engineering (PTTME), will serve both PTT Group companies and other customers, he said. (The Nation)

PTT will increase the reception capacity of its liquefied-petroleum-gas depot in Chon Buri at a cost of Bt2.3b if its sixth gas-separation plant cannot commence commercial operations within six months. However, executive vice president Nattachart Jaruchinda said if the sixth plant could begin commercial operations sooner, the company would use a floating terminal in the meantime, costing Bt1m a day, to accommodate more LPG imports. (The Nation)

PTT Plc plans to spend Bt243b over the next five years to expand its natural gas business and enter into joint ventures. The majority state-owned energy company said it would also seek loans worth Bt80b from 2010-14 on top of an existing Bt30b approved earlier for working capital and debt refinancing.

The two companies most affected by the suspensions at Map Ta Phut, PTT and the Siam Cement Group (SCG),are hopeful some projects affected by this week’s Supreme Administrative Court’s order will still be able to move forward.

World oil prices weakened on Monday as recent weak economic data sparked fears about a recovery in the United States, analysts said. New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for November delivery, eased 29 cents to 69.66 dollars a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for November delivery dropped 35 cents to 67.72 dollars a barrel. ”A slew of economic data (last week) rekindled worries over the prospects of a recovery in the United States,” said JBC Energy analysts in a note to clients.

Prices are steadily firming while sentiment among traders is mixed. Some believe prices will come down in the near term, due to overstocking and as China resumes exports in response to softer prices in the domestic market. Others expect the current positive trend to continue after Ramadan ends, due to final orders for year-end delivery. Prices have been aggressively up recently (up 29% in 7 months), so when China starts to export its surpluses, CIS producers will come under price pressure. Chinese producers are expected to use lower prices to gain market share in Asia (the major exporting region for both Chinese and CIS producers).