The Taiwan stock market closed lower on Friday, with the Taiwan Weighted (TWII) finishing the session down 0.26%, marking a new one-month low for the index.
Sector pressure came primarily from the Oil, Gas & Electricity and the Computers & Peripherals groups, which were cited as leading factors in the day's losses.
Top gainers
- Holtek Semiconductor Inc (TW:6202) led the winners, rising 7.88% - an increase of 3.55 points - to close at 48.60.
- United Microelectronics Corporation (TW:2303) advanced 7.32%, gaining 7.50 points to end the session at 110.00.
- Darwin Precisions Corp (TW:6120) climbed 6.90%, a rise of 0.80 points, to finish at 12.40.
Largest decliners
- Asmedia Technology Inc (TW:5269) tumbled 10.00%, a loss of 145.00 points, to trade at 1,305.00 at the close.
- D-Link Corp (TW:2332) fell 10.00%, down 2.40 points, ending the day at 21.60.
- Sino Horizon Holdings Ltd (TW:2923) was lower by 10.00%, a drop of 4.10 points, to 36.90.
Market breadth was reported as follows: "Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Taiwan Stock Exchange by 0 to 0."
Commodities and currency moves
- Crude oil for September delivery decreased 2.19%, or $1.83, to settle at $81.76 a barrel.
- Brent oil for October delivery declined 1.97%, or $1.71, to $85.17 a barrel.
- The August Gold Futures contract fell 0.58%, or $23.65, and traded at $4,076.45 a troy ounce.
- USD/TWD rose 0.02% to 32.42, while TWD/CNY was unchanged 0.10% to 0.21.
- The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.33% at 100.05.
The session presented a mixed picture: sizable gains among some semiconductor-related issues contrasted with sharp 10% drops in several other technology names and smaller moves in energy and precious metals prices. The net result left the Taiwan Weighted modestly lower and at a fresh one-month trough.