Taiwan shares end down but come off low ahead of TSMC's sales

Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) Shares in Taiwan closed lower Friday, but the Taiex remained above 30,000 on optimism that contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) would report strong sales for 2025 after the market's close, dealers said.

The Taiex, the Taiwan Stock Exchange's benchmark index, ended down 71.59 points, or 0.24 percent, at 30,288.96 after moving between 29,925.49 and 30,500.42. Turnover totaled NT$676.31 billion (US$21.71 billion).

"The market stayed in consolidation after a recent strong showing," Concord Asset Management analyst Lu Chin-wei said. "But it seemed that the Taiex had strong technical support when it fell below 30,000 early in the trading session."

Before a minor pullback on Wednesday and Thursday, the Taiex had soared 1,612.70 points, or 5.57 percent, in the first three sessions of 2026.

"With optimism toward TSMC's sales on AI demand, the stock recouped its earlier losses, helping the broader market return to the 30,000-point level," Lu said.

TSMC, which accounts for over 40 percent of the market's total value, closed down 0.30 percent at NT$1,680.00, off a low of NT$1,655.00.

Later Friday, the company seemed to meet the optimistic expectations, reporting consolidated sales of NT$3.81 trillion in 2025, a new single-year record for TSMC.

Among other semiconductor stocks, memory chip supplier Nanya Technology Corp. plunged 10 percent, the maximum daily decrease, to end at NT$217.50, and smartphone IC designer MediaTek Inc. fell 1.73 percent to close at NT$1,420.00 on profit taking.

But United Microelectronics Corp., a smaller contract chipmaker, ended up 4.36 percent at NT$55.10.

Also in the tech sector, AI server maker Quanta Computer Inc. rose 3.66 percent to close at NT$283.00 after reporting a sales record for December, and printed circuit maker Compeq Manufacturing Co. soared the maximum 10 percent to end at NT$115.50 on rotational buying.

Non-tech stocks moved in line with the broader market in consolidation, Lu said.

Many military concept stocks in Taiwan were weaker Friday, with aircraft maintenance services provider Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. falling 3.97 percent to close at NT$145.00, and Lungteh Shipbuilding Co. losing 0.74 percent to end at NT$134.00.

Nan Ya Plastics Corp., the parent company of Nanya Technology, slid 7.61 percent to close at NT$61.90, and Formosa Plastics Corp. ended down 1.68 percent at NT$41.00.

In the financial sector, which lost 0.17 percent, Fubon Financial Holding Co. lost 1.55 percent to close at NT$95.50, while Mega Financial Holding Co. rose 0.49 percent to end at NT$40.65.

"Washington is set to report December non-farm payroll data later in the day, which could move the U.S. markets. Keep an eye on it," Lu suggested.

According to the Taiwan Stock Exchange, foreign institutional investors sold a net NT$6.88 billion in shares on the market Friday.