■ Share prices flat
Share prices closed flat yesterday after early losses triggered by Wall Street's overnight fall were largely offset by firms' sales figures from last month, dealers said.
The TAIEX decreased 3.17 points to 6,685.23, on turnover of NT$60.98 billion (US$1.85 billion).
Decliners outnumbered gainers 607 to 419, with 182 stocks unchanged.
MediaTek Inc (聯發科), the nation's largest chip designer by revenue, rose 2.6 percent to NT$330. The company's revenue for last month rose 18.6 percent, year-on-year.
But overall, the technology sub-index ended flat. Chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) fell 1.2 percent to NT$57.1, while United Microelectronics Corp (聯電) dropped 0.3 percent to NT$18.05.
■ FSC delegation to visit Japan
A delegation led by Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) vice chairwoman Susan Chang (張秀蓮) is scheduled to visit Japan on Sunday in a bid to attract more Japanese investors to Taiwan's capital markets.
"Japan is Taiwan's No.2 source of foreign direct investment. However, it accounts for less than one percent of foreign portfolio investment into the nation's capital markets," Chang said yesterday.
The financial regulator hoped the trip would also help strengthen collaboration between the financial sectors in the two countries, she added.
The 70-member FSC delegation will include representatives from several local companies, such as Cathay Financial Holding Co (國泰金控), Fubon Financial Holding Co (富邦金控), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電).
■ Epson launches new printers
Eyeing growing local demand for photo printing, Epson Taiwan Corp yesterday launched several new multifunctional printers (MFPs) equipped with adapted features for the home and student markets.
"The market looks good as consumers will always pick up a MFP with photo printing function," said Kiki Lin (林玉婷), Epson Taiwan's marketing manager.
The three printers launched yesterday fell in a price range between NT$2,900 (US$88) to NT$5,490, with printing speeds up to 27 pages per minute.
Research International Data Corp (IDC) Taiwan said in addition to photo printing, MFP's with a fax function have gained in popularity in recent years.
In a report released yesterday, IDC said local sales of laser MFPs hit 15,560 units in last quarter, up 25 percent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, sales of inkjet MFPs saw a decline to 79,929 units last quarter, down 28 percent year-on-year and 29 percent from the first quarter, IDC said.
■ Web sites receive certification
A total of 200 Web sites in Taiwan have passed the consumer trust certification provided by the Net Consumer Association (NCA), NCA officials said yesterday.
At www.nca.org.tw, consumers will find information about Web sites that have passed NCA certification, they said.
■ High Tech secures TomTom deal
TomTom NV, Europe's largest maker of car navigation equipment, said Taoyuan-based High Tech Computer Corp (宏達電) will use TomTom software in a mobile phone doubling as a portable digital assistant that will go on sale in Europe next month.
Financial details of the contract haven't been disclosed by Amsterdam-based TomTom.
■ NT dollar remains weak
The New Taiwan dollar remained weak against its US counterpart yesterday, declining NT$0.048 to close at NT$32.860 on the Taipei foreign exchange market. Turnover was US$750 million.
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The consumer price index (CPI) last month eased to 1.95 percent, below the central bank’s 2 percent target, as food and entertainment cost increases decelerated, helped by stable egg prices, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday. The slowdown bucked predictions by policymakers and academics that inflationary pressures would build up following double-digit electricity rate hikes on April 1. “The latest CPI data came after the cost of eating out and rent grew moderately amid mixed international raw material prices,” DGBAS official Tsao Chih-hung (曹志弘) told a news conference in Taipei. The central bank in March raised interest rates by