TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's stock market retreated Thursday (April 24) amid lackluster performance from several key industry leaders, extending a pattern of cautious trading seen across Asian markets. The Taiwan Stock Exchange index opened at 19,752.59 points before sliding steadily throughout the session to close at 19,478.81 points, representing a decline of 160.33 points or 0.82%. Trading volume reached NT$241.12 billion (US$7.41 billion). The over-the-counter index bucked the trend with a modest gain of 1.25 points to 212.75, while semiconductor giant TSMC (台積電) shed NT$9 to finish at NT$864 (US$26.56).
Traditional industrial sectors bore the brunt of selling pressure, with oil, gas, plastics, semiconductors, electronics, and food stocks all registering notable declines across the board. Meanwhile, home living, information services, electronic distribution, sports, textiles, and digital cloud sectors displayed relative strength against the broader market weakness. Major tech companies MediaTek (聯發科), Hon Hai (鴻海) — also known as Foxconn internationally — and Nanya Technology (南亞科) experienced significant trading volume reductions, while Phoenix Silicon International Corporation (昇陽半導體), Asia Vital Components (奇鋐), and Alchip (世芯-KY) showed unexpected resilience.
Market analysts at Uni-President Investment Consulting, a prominent Taiwanese financial advisory firm, highlighted potentially positive international developments that could eventually support regional markets. The firm specifically noted that U.S. President Donald Trump does not intend to dismiss Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, while ongoing U.S.-China tariff adjustment discussions, including potential automotive tariff exemptions, might provide a boost to global market sentiment. Amid the current uncertainty, the consulting firm recommended investors focus on liquid mid- to large-capitalization stocks and technically resilient equities with upside potential, while maintaining sufficient cash reserves for flexibility. ★
