Local car makers see decline
The Taiwan Industrial Economics and Knowledge Research Center (IEK) yesterday forecast that the revenue from completed cars manufactured in the second quarter of this year will decrease by 18 percent to NT$35.92 billion (US$1.24 billion) compared with the first quarter. The group cited recession and domestic oil and car price increases for the downturn.
Overall, domestic manufacturers will produce 326,000 cars this year, down 5 percent from 343,000 units last year, while total revenue will reach about NT$178.1 billion, according to the Industry and Technology Intelligence Services’ (ITIS) research center.
In the first three months of this year, Taiwan produced 82,000 completed cars, down 5.7 percent year-on-year and down 12.8 percent quarter-on-quarter, the ITIS said.
Boost projected for IC sector
Taiwan’s integrated circuit (IC) industry is expected to see a significant increase in its output value in the second quarter, driven by strong sales of smartphones, robust demand for LCD TVs and the recovery of the semiconductor industry, according to a report that was released yesterday.
Total output is projected to reach NT$411.5 billion, up 14.3 percent from the first quarter, said the report compiled by ITIS.
Of the IC industry’s four main sub-sectors, IC manufacturing will grow the most, with revenue set to rise 16.3 percent to NT$210.3 billion, the report predicted.
IC design output is expected to grow 12.5 percent to NT$100.7 billion, IC packaging output should grow 12.1 percent to NT$69.5 billion and IC testing value is expected to gain 11.9 percent to NT$31 billion, the report indicated.
In the first quarter, the IC industry’s revenue dropped by 3.1 percent from the previous quarter to NT$360.1 billion because of the low season effect.
IC manufacturing saw its output fall 0.6 percent to NT$180.9 billion, and IC design revenue was down 5.4 percent to NT$89.5 billion.
IC packaging output declined 5.6 percent to NT$62 billion, and IC testing output lost 5.8 percent to NT$27.7 billion, according to the report.
Taiwan, Netherlands sign deal
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Energy Research Center of the Netherlands (ECN) yesterday to cooperate on green energy research.
The two institutes will collaborate on energy research and personnel exchanges, according to the ITRI.
The Netherlands is one of the world’s most advanced countries in terms of energy research, and the ECN is the largest energy research center in the Netherlands, the ITRI said.
The ECN conducts research into wind power, solar energy, biofuel, fuel cells and energy efficiency and is known for its role in merging energy knowledge with market trends, its Web site says.
Share dumping hits NT value
The New Taiwan dollar fell against the US dollar yesterday, declining NT$0.121 to close at NT$29.635 as foreign institutional investors kept dumping local shares while moving funds out of Taiwan amid rising concerns over the eurozone debt crisis, dealers said.
On the local foreign exchange market, foreign banks stood on the “sell” side, putting downward pressure on NT dollar, as foreign institutional investors were reluctant to take risks in the domestic stock market, they said.
Turnover totaled US$1.48 billion during the trading session.
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