Share prices closed 1.11 percent lower yesterday, in line with Tokyo as North Korea's overnight missile tests sparked concerns about growing tensions in Northeast Asia, dealers said.
Construction stocks, however, outperformed the broader market on expectations that the property sector still has a bright future, they said.
The weighted index lost 74.55 points at 6,659.96, off a high of 6,741.52 and a low of 6,651.55, on turnover of NT$79.54 billion (US$2.47 billion).
The construction sector was up 1.89 percent.
Watch wall street
"Without Wall Street to indicate a direction, the local bourse moved largely in step with Seoul and Tokyo today," SinoPac Securities (
The relative resilience in tandem with the two neighboring bourses seen earlier in the day was eventually reversed as Japanese shares resumed their declines in the afternoon, he said.
In particular, investors would rather spare themselves any heightened risks caused by North Korea, Teng added.
"It makes perfect sense to see what happens on Wall Street tonight before one makes the next move," he said.
Majors down
Taiwan and the world's leading manufacturer of made to order chips, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) closed down NT$1.10 at NT$57.70. The nation's number two chipmaker, United Microelectronics Corp (聯電) was down NT$0.25 at NT$19.15.
Nanya Technology Corp (
Prince Housing and Development Corp (
Formosa Plastics Corp (
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