The TAIEX rose 178.37 points, or 1.9 percent, to close at 9,809.88 points yesterday -- - its highest since April 2000 -- boosted by a Wall Street rally at the end of last week and strong third-quarter earnings and fourth-quarter guidance from electronics companies.
Yesterday's close was also the best after the Democratic Progressive Party came to power, fueling investors' expectation that the local bourse would soon challenge the 10,000 point level.
Risers led decliners 1,319 to 726, with 245 stocks unchanged.
A total of 53 stocks closed limit-up and seven limit-down.
Cecelia Lu of Taiwan International Securities (
"Investor demand has returned to electronics shares," Lu said. "And the significant appreciation of the [New] Taiwan dollar of late also increased demand for asset-rich companies."
Several major stocks' gains led yesterday's seven-year record.
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (
Hon Hai paced exporters' gains amid speculation that the worst of the US subprime mortgage crisis was over.
In the US, third-quarter sales at Microsoft Corp beat projections by more than US$1 billion, the world's largest software company said on Thursday. Countrywide Financial Corp, the No. 1 US mortgage lender, said on Friday that last quarter was its "earnings trough'' and that it would return to profit in the current period.
"Corporate earnings are sustainable and will keep the US economy from slowing," said Yin Nai-yun (
Taiwan Semiconductor Manu-facturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world's largest contract chipmaker, advanced NT$2.30, or 3.7 percent, to NT$63.90. TSMC makes about three quarters of its sales to the US.
Acer, the world's fourth-largest computer vendor, jumped NT$4.90, or 6.7 percent, to NT$78.10. Acer chairman Wang Jeng-tang (
United Microelectronics Corp (
In addition, Formosa Plastics Corp (台塑), the world's second-largest maker of polyvinyl chloride, climbed NT$1.50, or 1.5 percent, to NT$99.40. Formosa Plastics' profit in the third quarter surged 65 percent to NT$20.1 billion (US$619 million) from a year earlier. The figure was derived by deducting first-half profit from nine-month earnings the company announced on Friday.
Fubon Financial Holding Co (富邦金控), the second-largest local financial company by market value, gained US$0.85, or 2.8 percent, to NT$31.50. Fubon plans to set up an insurance unit in China through a joint venture, the Chinese-language Commercial Times reported on Saturday, citing property insurer Fubon Insurance Co (富邦產險) president Chen Tsan-huang (陳燦煌).
Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化), the only publicly traded oil refiner, rose NT$2.50, or 2.5 percent, to NT$104.50. Formosa Petrochemical said profit in the first nine months rose 66 percent from a year earlier to NT$51.4 billion.
Nan Ya Plastics Corp. (南亞塑膠), the world's largest processor of plastics for pipes and imitation leather, added NT$1.10, or 1.1 percent, to NT$98.10. Nan Ya posted a 34 percent gain in third-quarter profit to NT$20.7 billion from a year earlier. The figure was derived by deducting first-half profit from nine-month earnings the firm announced.
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2