TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s stock market closed lower Friday, ending an eight-session winning streak, as investors adjusted positions following earlier gains.
The Taiwan Capitalization Weighted Stock Index, or TAIEX, fell 327.68 points to close at 36,804.34. Turnover totaled NT$943 billion (US$29.9 billion), according to CNA and CTEE.
For the week, the index gained 1,386.51 points, marking a second consecutive weekly advance. The combined market capitalization of listed companies reached NT$120.05 trillion, up NT$4.5 trillion from the previous week, according to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
TSMC declined 2.64% to NT$2,030, tracking a 3.13% drop in its US-listed shares overnight despite reporting record first-quarter revenue. MediaTek rose 1.58% to NT$1,925.
Foxconn fell 0.48% to NT$206. Delta Electronics edged down 0.27% to NT$1,840, according to Anue.
Integrated circuit testing provider WinWay Technology rose 4.94% to NT$10,305, becoming the second TAIEX-listed company after Aspeed Technology to see its share price pass NT$10,000. Institutional investors said that such price levels were previously considered unlikely in Taiwan’s equity market, according to CTEE.
Among other high-priced stocks, the TAIEX recorded a total of 45 shares closing above NT$1,000, the highest on record. Of these, 10 reached new all-time highs and six closed at their daily limits.
Accton Technology, Jentech Precision Industrial, Mpi, Syntec Technology, and Kaori Heat Treatment achieved both.
Stocks linked to gallium arsenide gained on expectations of price adjustments tied to higher raw material costs. Win Semiconductors reached its daily limit at NT$539, surpassing NT$500 for the first time and reaching a record high, according to CNA.
Advanced Wireless Semiconductor and Visual Photonics Epitaxy rose 5.32% and 7.07% to NT$148.5 and NT$310.5, respectively. GaAs is a compound of gallium and arsenic, used in second-generation semiconductor chips that support high-speed data transmission, according to Stockfeel.
Industry sources said suppliers across the GaAs supply chain, from upstream epitaxy to downstream power amplifiers, are preparing price increases starting in the second quarter to reflect rising costs. Gallium prices have been rising since last year following China’s export controls, along with higher substrate costs.
Semiconductor testing equipment and artificial intelligence materials stocks also moved higher. Chroma Ate, All Ring Tech, and Test Research closed at their daily limits.
Printed circuit board material suppliers Co-Tech Development and Fulltech Fiber Glass also reached limit-ups, reflecting continued investor interest in non-large-cap electronics stocks. PCBs serve as the foundation of electronic devices, providing the structural base that hosts and connects components so they can function together, according to Stockfeel.
Co-packaged optics and optical communication stocks were among the day’s strongest performers. LandMark Optoelectronics, LuxNet, Apogee Optocom, and Pcl Technologies all hit their daily limits, supported by continued demand for high-speed data transmission used in AI servers.
Wang Jung-hsu (王榮旭), CEO of investment consulting firm Marbo, said the market’s decline was largely linked to short-term profit-taking following TSMC’s earnings conference after Thursday’s market close. He said the company’s fundamentals remain stable and its outlook does not indicate significant concerns.
TSMC’s results reinforced the broader AI-related growth trend, supporting expectations for related sectors. With the weekend approaching, some investors chose to secure gains.
Wang said market participants increasingly view the most severe risks tied to the Middle East conflict as having eased, with earlier losses largely recovered. Attention is expected to shift toward corporate earnings performance.
Foreign institutional investors, who were net sellers of more than NT$1 trillion in March, have begun to return, with net buying at about NT$300 billion so far this month. Further inflows could support the market despite ongoing fluctuations.
This information is not intended as personalized financial advice. Investors are encouraged to conduct their own research and analysis before making investment decisions.
