Memory chip stocks surge in Taiwan amid supply shortage

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's benchmark stock index fell 74.92 points to close at 30,360.55 on Thursday (Jan. 8), a 0.25% decline after a volatile session that saw the market swing more than 325 points. Trading volumes reached NT$736.51 billion (around US$23.76 billion) as investors navigated the turbulent session. The index plunged over 160 points in early trading before staging a partial recovery.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC, 台積電) drove a morning rally that pushed the index to a record intraday high of 30,593.49 points. The gains proved short-lived as selling pressure returned in afternoon trading. The weighted index opened at 30,330.58 points, hit a low of 30,268.36 points, while the non-financial index fell 86.02 points to 26,929.61.

Among the eight major stock categories, plastics emerged as the top performer with a 2.26% gain, followed by textiles up 1.66% and financials rising 0.49%. The electronics index declined 0.39% while the semiconductor index edged up 0.19%. Machinery stocks fell 0.40%, contributing to weakness in the broader electronics sector.

TSMC shares hit NT$1,700 (around US$54.84) in early trading but closed at NT$1,685 (around US$54.35), up NT$10 or 0.6%. Foxconn (鴻海) tumbled 3.77% to close at NT$229.5 (around US$7.40). Defense stocks rallied after U.S. President Donald Trump called for increased defense research funding. Thunder Tiger (雷虎) hit its daily limit at NT$158.5 (around US$5.11), while Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (漢翔, AIDC) gained 6.19%.

Memory chip stocks surged on supply shortage concerns, with Silicon Power (廣穎) and Macronix (旺宏) hitting daily limits at NT$48.5 (around US$1.56) and NT$63.3 (around US$2.04). Voltronic Power (旭隼) fell 1% to NT$995 (around US$32.10), breaking below NT$1,000. ASPEED (信驊), Taiwan's highest-priced stock, touched NT$7,825 (around US$252.42) before closing at NT$7,650 (around US$246.77). ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31)