MANUFACTURING
TSMC revenue hits record
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday reported a record-high revenue for last month. Consolidated revenue rose 6.7 percent month-on-month and 3.8 percent year-on-year to NT$94.52 billion (US$3.13 million), the company said in a statement. In the first 10 months of this year, TSMC’s consolidated revenue totaled NT$794.4 billion, up 2.3 percent from the same period last year, the Hsinchu-based chipmaker said. TSMC forecast revenue this quarter to increase by about 10 percent from NT$252.11 billion last quarter, driven by the ramp-up of chips made on its advanced 10 nanometer process technology.
ELECTRONICS
Lite-On revenue down
Electronics components maker Lite-On Technology Corp (光寶科技) yesterday posted consolidated revenue of NT$17.64 billion for last month, down 11 percent monthly and 14 percent annually. Optoelectronics posted annual growth of about 20 percent last month and contributed a 21 percent share of the firm’s total revenue, while information technology accounted for 56 percent of its sales, the firm said in a statement. Despite a stable end-demand for its core businesses, the company’s cumulative revenue in the first 10 months of the year were NT$178.03 billion, a 4.7 percent year-on-year decrease, it said.
TECHNOLOGY
Accton profit increases
Accton Technology Corp (智邦科技), a local maker of computer networking equipment such as routers, yesterday reported net profit of NT$651 million for last quarter, or earnings per share of NT$1.2. Accumulated profit for the first three quarters reached NT$1.937 billion, up 42.76 percent year-on-year, with earnings per share of NT$3.56. The company said it benefited from a rising global demand for cloud-computing applications in the third quarter and expects steady business operations for this quarter.
REAL ESTATE
Sinyi Realty up on recovery
Sinyi Realty Inc (信義房屋), the nation’s only publicly listed real-estate broker, yesterday said its third-quarter profit surged 414 percent from the same period last year, thanks to earnings generated from a housing project in Shanghai and a recovering market in Taiwan. Net income stood at NT$1.03 billion during the July-to-September period, or earnings per share of NT$1.58, while revenue increased 161 percent annually to NT$5.2 billion. The project in Shanghai generated revenue of NT$3.2 billion and contributed NT$830 million in net income last quarter, the broker said. In the first three quarters of this year, accumulated net income totaled NT$2.27 billion, up 554 percent year-on-year, with earnings per share of NT$3.48, and revenue rose 157 percent to NT$14.5 billion over the same period, it said.
CONTACT LENSES
St Shine Optical sets high
Contact lens supplier St Shine Optical Co (精華光學) on Thursday reported net profit of NT$497 million for last quarter, up 11.6 percent from last year, with earnings per share of NT$9.85, while revenue was NT$1.773 billion, up 3.2 percent annually, according to the company’s Taiwan Stock Exchange filing. Profit and revenue set new quarterly highs and beat Capital Securities Corp’s (群益證券) estimates. In the first three quarters of the year, earnings per share totaled NT$23.68, the company said. St Shine’s order backlog will likely remaining full from now until the end of the year, the company said in a note yesterday.
DIVIDED VIEWS: Although the Fed agreed on holding rates steady, some officials see no rate cuts for this year, while 10 policymakers foresee two or more cuts There are a lot of unknowns about the outlook for the economy and interest rates, but US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled at least one thing seems certain: Higher prices are coming. Fed policymakers voted unanimously to hold interest rates steady at a range of 4.25 percent to 4.50 percent for a fourth straight meeting on Wednesday, as they await clarity on whether tariffs would leave a one-time or more lasting mark on inflation. Powell said it is still unclear how much of the bill would fall on the shoulders of consumers, but he expects to learn more about tariffs
NOT JUSTIFIED: The bank’s governor said there would only be a rate cut if inflation falls below 1.5% and economic conditions deteriorate, which have not been detected The central bank yesterday kept its key interest rates unchanged for a fifth consecutive quarter, aligning with market expectations, while slightly lowering its inflation outlook amid signs of cooling price pressures. The move came after the US Federal Reserve held rates steady overnight, despite pressure from US President Donald Trump to cut borrowing costs. Central bank board members unanimously voted to maintain the discount rate at 2 percent, the secured loan rate at 2.375 percent and the overnight lending rate at 4.25 percent. “We consider the policy decision appropriate, although it suggests tightening leaning after factoring in slackening inflation and stable GDP growth,”
Greek tourism student Katerina quit within a month of starting work at a five-star hotel in Halkidiki, one of the country’s top destinations, because she said conditions were so dire. Beyond the bad pay, the 22-year-old said that her working and living conditions were “miserable and unacceptable.” Millions holiday in Greece every year, but its vital tourism industry is finding it harder and harder to recruit Greeks to look after them. “I was asked to work in any department of the hotel where there was a need, from service to cleaning,” said Katerina, a tourism and marketing student, who would
i Gasoline and diesel prices at fuel stations are this week to rise NT$0.1 per liter, as tensions in the Middle East pushed crude oil prices higher last week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said yesterday. International crude oil prices last week rose for the third consecutive week due to an escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, as the market is concerned that the situation in the Middle East might affect crude oil supply, CPC and Formosa said in separate statements. Front-month Brent crude oil futures — the international oil benchmark — rose 3.75 percent to settle at US$77.01
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