TAIEX closes higher
Taiwan’s benchmark index closed up 0.79 percent yesterday on a technical rebound after the market incurred heavy losses over the past few sessions amid concerns over the global economic climate, dealers said.
The TAIEX rose 61.79 points to 7,891.58 after moving between 7,830.46 and 7,906.35 on turnover of NT$131.15 billion (US$4.10 billion). The market opened up 0.21 percent as bargain-hunting took hold and momentum accelerated, led by the bellwether electronics sector, dealers said.
A total of 2,673 stocks closed up and 1,065 were down, with 299 remaining unchanged.
Science park plans job fair
The Central Taiwan Science Park will hold a large-scale recruitment fair on Aug. 15, with 8,000 job vacancies available, as more tech firms continue to expand following the economic recovery.
Tech firms that plan to attend include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電), which is setting up a new production facility in the park that requires a workforce of 3,050.
AU Optronics Corp (友達光電) will recruit 1,800 staffers with Lextar Electronics Corp (隆達電子) to take on 1,000 more people. As of last month, more than 21,500 people were working at the Central Taiwan Science Park.
MOF cancels bills auction
The Ministry of Finance canceled a planned auction of NT$20 billion 182-day Treasury bills on Aug. 20 as the National Treasury has sufficient funds, the ministry said in a statement on its Web site yesterday.
The ministry said the sale of NT$25 billion of 273-day treasury bills to be issued on Sept. 1 will proceed as planned.
MOEA looks to Japan
The Ministry of Economic Affairs is scheduled to hold an investment-solicitation meeting in Tokyo on Aug. 24, to seek out Japanese investors interested in jointly tapping the China market, a ministry official said yesterday.
The meeting will mainly focus on investments in China’s medical and healthcare markets and more than 400 Taiwanese and Japanese companies are expected to attend, the official said.
AIG committed to deal
American International Group Inc (AIG) has no intention of selling its Taiwan-based life insurance unit to another party and will not entertain an offer from Chinatrust Financial Holding Co (中信金控), AIG said in an emailed statement.
AIG is “firmly committed” to closing the agreement it signed with the Primus-China Strategic consortium and remains confident Taiwan’s regulators will approve the transaction, the statement said. The buyers, who set up Primus-Nan Shan Holding Co for the transaction, agreed in October last year to buy Nan Shan Life Insurance Co (南山人壽) from AIG for US$2.15 billion.
If the deal is not approved, AIG would “evaluate its options to limit any long-term commitments from its continued ownership in Nan Shan,” the insurer said.
Mega Bank expands business
The Hong Kong unit of Mega International Commercial Bank (兆豐國際商銀) has received approval from the Taiwanese government to provide a clearing service for Chinese yuan notes with Bank of China (Hong Kong) Ltd (中國銀行), its parent, Mega Financial Holding Co (兆豐金控), said in an emailed statement yesterday.
Mega Bank is awaiting permission from China to start yuan settlements, the statement said.
NT dollar closes higher
The New Taiwan dollar rose against the US dollar yesterday, up NT$0.03, to close at NT$31.960. Turnover totaled US$525 million during the trading session.
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