Shares close down 0.29%
Share prices closed 0.29 percent lower yesterday, reflecting global economic concerns, dealers said.
The weighted index closed down 24.41 points at 8,345.59 on turnover of NT$107.20 billion (US$3.54 billion).
Decliners led risers 2,007 to 431, with 255 stocks unchanged. A total of 58 stocks closed limit-down and three were limit-up.
On the foreign exchange market, the NT dollar dropped NT$0.015 to close at NT$30.375 against the US dollar.
A total of US$928 million changed hands during the day’s trading on the Taipei Forex Inc.
Mega Financial chief leaves
Mega Financial Holding Co (兆豐金控) president Ray Dawn (董瑞斌) has resigned. Taipei-based Mega Financial, the nation’s second-largest financial company by market value, announced the decision in a filing to the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday, without giving a reason.
Simon Dzeng (曾垂紀), executive vice president, is standing in as acting president.
Agilent acquires Escort assets
Agilent Technologies Inc has acquired all assets of Taiwan-based Escort Instruments Corp (威華電子), the US company said in a statement yesterday. Financial details were not disclosed.
Escort Instruments is a supplier of low-cost test and measurement instruments and a subsidiary of computer-printed circuit board maker Unitech Printed Circuit Board Corp (燿華電子).
The acquisition includes Escort Instruments’ research and development, marketing, intellectual property and the majority of the subsidiary’s low-cost instrument product portfolio, the statement said.
Agilent will integrate Escort Instruments into its basic instruments division in Taipei, it said.
“The acquisition demonstrates Agilent’s commitment to providing high-quality, low-cost instruments to customers worldwide,” Ee Huei Sin (余慧心), vice president and general manager of Agilent’s basic instruments division, said.
TWSE open to selling stake
Planning an initial public offering early next year, the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) is open to selling a stake to the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
“We are open to any possibility,” TWSE chairman Wu Rong-i (吳榮義) told a media briefing on Tuesday. “We can talk any time.”
TWSE has already held talks with foreign exchanges including Borse Dubai and the New York Stock Exchange on its plans to sell a stake of up to 25 percent to overseas bourses.
With more than 700 listings, TWSE has started a series of reforms to liberalize the market and boost its competitiveness.
“These reforms include relaxation of rules on off-exchange transactions, stock lending, free delivery settlement and short sales, all aimed at improving liquidity, lowering trading costs and raising market efficiency,” TWSE said in a statement.
Airline to fly to Taitung
Taipei-based Mandarin Airlines Ltd (華信航空) has been granted the right to operate commercial flights between Taipei and Taitung starting July 15, Mandarin Airlines chairman Chen Sheng-shan (陳盛山) said on Tuesday.
On June 2, the debt-ridden Far Eastern Air Transport Corp (FAT, 遠東航空) was stripped of its right to operate domestic flights. Since then, UNI Airways Corp (立榮航空) has been the only airline operating flights between Taipei and Taitung.
Chen said Mandarin Airlines would launch a fundraising campaign on its Taipei-Taitung flights to encourage passengers to donate money for the construction of a health care center.
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