Stocks mixed; TSMC falls, ASE rises

The TAIEX fell, led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), after Salomon Smith Barney Inc said Intel Corp's quarterly sales will decline, raising concern the industry's growth is slowing.

"Profit growth hasn't caught up with sales growth" in Taiwan, said Vincent Hu, who helps manage NT$24 billion (US$685 million) of Taiwan equities at Fubon Securities Investment Trust Co (富邦投信). "We don't see any particular recovery signs in the second quarter, so the pressure to take profit remains."

The TAIEX fell 12.54, or 0.2 percent, to 6046.52. Within the index, 341 stocks gained, 139 stocks declined, while 73 were unchanged. The total value of trade rose 4 percent to NT$116 billion (US$3.3 billion).

Made-to-order chipmakers and computer-related stocks fell.

Salomon Smith Barney said quarterly sales of Intel will decline, dragging down all 17 members of the widely watched Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, a price-weighted index of 17 companies that design and make chips.

TSMC, the world's biggest maker of chips for other companies, fell NT$2, or 2.1 percent, to NT$94. United Microelectronics Corp (聯電), the second-biggest made-to-order chipmaker, slipped 50 cents, or 1 percent, to NT$51.50. Quanta Computer Inc (廣達), Taiwan's largest notebook maker, fell NT$3, or 2.4 percent, to NT$124.50. Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), Taiwan's largest motherboard maker, lost NT$3, or 1.9 percent, to NT$155. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海), which makes everything in a computer except the chips, fell NT$2, or 1.2 percent, to NT$159.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc (日月光), gained 90 cents, or 2.6 percent, to NT$35.10. A Chinese-language newspaper reported yesterday, without citing sources, that the chip packager may post a 10 percent to 20 percent increase in sales in March from the previous month. Rival Siliconware Precision Industries Co (矽品), rose NT$1.40, or 4.2 percent, to NT$34.90, as the newspaper said the company may reach sales of NT$1.8 billion for March.

Computer-memory-chipmakers fell after the price of 128MB dynamic random access memory chips and high-speed memory chips fell yesterday, according to DRAM Exchange, a market place for memory chips. The price of a standard 128-dynamic-random-access memory-chip fell 3.5 percent to US$4.20.

Winbond Electronics Corp (華邦), Taiwan's No. 2 computer-memory-chipmaker by market value, fell 80 cents, or 3.1 percent, to NT$25.40. Nanya Technology Corp (南亞科技), the largest, fell NT$1.60, or 3.7 percent, to NT$42.10. Powerchip Semiconductor Corp (力晶半導體) fell 80 cents, or 3.1 percent, to NT$24.90. ProMos Technologies Inc (茂德), fell NT$1.90, or 6 percent, to NT$29.60. Mosel Vitelic Inc (茂矽), fell 50 cents, or 2.8 percent, to NT$17.70.

Mediatek Inc (聯發科技), a designer of semiconductors for DVD players, fell NT$7, or 1 percent, to NT$705. March sales may gain 6.4 percent to NT$2.5 billion from NT$2.35 billion in January, the Chinese-language Economic Daily News reported, without citing sources. The newspaper didn't provide February figures.

Macronix International Co (旺宏), whose customers include Nintendo Co, fell 20 cents, or 0.7 percent, to NT$30.70.