TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's stock market retreated Wednesday (Sept. 17), closing down 191.39 points at 25,438.25 as nervous investors triggered widespread profit-taking ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's pivotal interest rate decision. The Taipei exchange recorded a significant 0.75% decline with turnover reaching NT$428.361 billion (around US$14.27 billion), reflecting cautious sentiment that dominated trading throughout the session. Market participants remained on edge as anticipation of potential monetary policy shifts drove the sustained downward pressure across major indices.
Taiwan's technology giants bore the brunt of selling pressure, with semiconductor titan TSMC (台積電) retreating from historic highs to close at NT$1,265 (around US$42.16), down NT$15 or 1.17%. Electronics manufacturer Foxconn (鴻海) tumbled to NT$212 (around US$7.06), losing NT$3.5 or 1.62%, while chip designer MediaTek (聯發科) declined NT$25 to NT$1,510 (around US$50.31), representing a 1.63% drop. The synchronized decline across Taiwan's most influential technology stocks underscored broader market anxiety about global economic conditions and monetary policy uncertainty.
Bucking the broader market trend, third-generation semiconductor specialists Episil Holding (漢磊) and Episil-Precision (嘉晶) surged to daily trading limits at NT$69.9 (around US$2.33) and NT$59.4 (around US$1.98) respectively, driven by surging NVIDIA demand. Display manufacturers AUO (友達) and Innolux (群創), Taiwan's prominent panel duo, defied market weakness with AUO climbing 6.3% to NT$13.5 (around US$0.45) and Innolux gaining 2.99% to NT$13.8 (around US$0.46). Electronic components giant Yageo (國巨) jumped 4.35% to NT$156 (around US$5.20) following significant progress in its tender offer for Japan's Shibaura Electronics (芝浦電子).
Defense sector companies Thunder Tiger (雷虎) and Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC, 漢翔) unveiled a strategic collaboration ear;ier that day to develop medium and large unmanned helicopters ahead of the Taiwan Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) opening Thursday (Sept. 18). Thunder Tiger closed at NT$153.5 (around US$5.12), declining 0.32%, while state-owned AIDC dropped 0.94% to NT$63 (around US$2.10). The upcoming TADTE exhibition promises to showcase cutting-edge aerospace and defense innovations that could influence Taiwan's defense sector investment trends. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$30.014)
