The TAIEX, Taiwan’s benchmark stock index, fell 782 points, or 1.7%, to close at 45,677 on Thursday, ending a four-session winning streak as traders locked in profits after the gauge hit a record high in the previous session. The pullback came after the index touched an all-time intraday peak of 46,459 and, for the first time, closed above the 46,000 mark on Wednesday, buoyed by sustained optimism over AI-related investment.
Sentiment weakened as the TAIEX followed an overnight decline on Wall Street amid renewed tensions in the Middle East. Losses were led by electronic technology and producer manufacturing shares. The electronic technology subindex fell 2.2%, dragged lower by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) — the world’s largest contract chipmaker and a heavyweight that represents more than 40% of the market’s total capitalization — which slipped 1.7% after a 1.7% gain on Wednesday.
Other major decliners included MediaTek (-2.5%), Delta Electronics (-1.2%), Hon Hai Precision (-5.2%), ASE Technology (-4.1%), and United Microelectronics (-4.2%).
