Chinese Petroleum on alert
Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC, 中油), a state-run oil refiner, said it is on alert after the government warned about possible terrorist attacks on its tankers in retaliation for Taipei's backing of the US in the Iraq war.
The government late last month asked the refiner to impose security measures "to avoid being attacked," company spokesman Liao Tsang-long (廖滄龍) said. Those measures include monitoring unidentified vessels nearby and bolstering security with help from the coast guard and police.
A Chinese-language newspaper yesterday reported that the US Homeland Security Department warned that terrorists might attack Chinese Petroleum's tankers, particularly near ports. Chinese Petroleum's oil tankers are included on a list of possible terror targets, the paper said.
TSMC to write off shares
Taiwan Semiconductor Manu-facturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world's largest supplier of made-to-order computer chips, said it plans to cancel 124.7 million of its shares on Aug. 16, which the company bought to help lift stock prices.
The company announced the buyback plan on March 24 after Minister of Finance Lin Chuan (林全) urged companies to purchase stocks to help stop the key TAIEX from extending its two-day, 9.4 percent plunge following the March 20 presidential election.
NT dollar strengthens
The New Taiwan dollar continued strengthening against the US dollar yesterday, edging up NT$0.008 to close at NT$34.098 on the Taipei foreign exchange market.
Turnover was US$447 million.
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