ONE-OFF: Overall customs-cleared exports grew, which one economist said would help confirm that a decline in June was an exception, not part of a contraction trend

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 08, 2018
By: Chen Cheng-hui  /  Staff reporter

The nation’s exports last month recorded a fifth consecutive month of annual growth, rising 4.7 percent year-on-year to US$28.36 billion, the Ministry of Finance reported yesterday.

The pace of annual growth was less than 9.4 percent in June because of a higher comparison base in July last year, a ministry report said.

Imports last month rose 20.5 percent year-on-year to US$26.12 billion, leaving a trade surplus of US$2.24 billion, it said.

Last month’s trade surplus narrowed from US$5.21 billion in June and was 58.5 percent lower than a year earlier, which the ministry attributed to greater imports of agricultural and industrial raw materials, capital equipment and consumer products, the report said    [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 07, 2018
By: Chen Cheng-hui  /  Staff reporter

TPK Holding Co Ltd (宸鴻), a maker of touch solutions and a supplier to Apple Inc, yesterday said its revenue last month showed a marked expansion from June, although it remained below last year’s level.

Consolidated revenue surged 56.5 percent to NT$9.31 billion (US$303.95 million), compared with NT$5.95 billion the previous month, hitting the highest monthly level since January.

Last month’s sales were 2.9 percent lower than NT$9.58 billion a year earlier, according to a statement the company posted on its Web site.

TPK did not elaborate on its sales performance for last month, although market watchers said the monthly increase might be due to ramped-up production to prepare for new product launches by clients later this quarter.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/08/04
By: Chu Tse-wei and Frances Huang

Taipei, Aug. 4 (CNA) The government-sponsored trade promotion group Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) said Saturday that a visit by a delegation of Taiwanese electric vehicle firms to Osaka has boosted economic exchanges with Japanese business groups.

In a statement, the trade group said the delegation, led by TAITRA Chairman James Huang (黃志芳), called Wednesday on several Japanese enterprises such as battery maker Yuasa and conglomerate Itochu Corp.

The Taiwanese delegation, which included representatives of 10 Taiwanese firms that supply components for electric vehicles also visited the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and the Industry Kansai Economic Federation, two of the major business groups in the Kansai region.

According to TAITRA, since taking the helm of the trade group in 2017, Huang has set up an electric vehicle alliance by organizing Taiwanese firms, targeting the growing global electric vehicle market.   [FULL  STORY]

‘RECOVERY IN PROGRESS’: The company denied reports that shutdowns at three of its fabs were caused by a hacker attack, but declined to elaborate on the incident

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 05, 2018
By: Chen Cheng-hui  /  Staff reporter

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, yesterday said it has contained a virus attack on some of its fabs and expects operations to return to normal in a day.

“A number of TSMC fab tools were infected by a computer virus on the evening of Aug. 3,” TSMC said in a statement.

“TSMC has contained the problem and found a solution, and recovery of the affected tools is in progress,” it added.

The company’s remarks came after local Chinese-language media earlier yesterday reported that the Hsinchu-based chipmaker suspended some production lines at its plants in Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]

S&P Global
Date: 03 Aug 2018  
By: Samuel Chin 
Editor: Jeremy Lovell 

Singapore — Containerized heavy melting scrap prices to Taiwan fell further this week on lower US offers, Taiwanese market sources said Friday.

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S&P Global Platts TSI HMS 1/2 80:20 containerized scrap on a CFR basis was assessed at $325/mt Friday, down $5/mt from a week ago.

Deals were concluded for containerized US-origin HMS 1/2 80:20 at $325/mt CFR Taiwan late week, down from early week deals heard at $327/mt CFR, market sources said.

“Offers were coming in the range of $325-$330/mt (CFR Taiwan) for US 80:20 this week,” a source from a Taiwanese steelmaker said.

“The weaker Turkey market has been rubbing off on US suppliers, and it seems US bulk offer prices are also weakening,” a regional trader said.

“This is on top of weaker buying interest from Vietnamese buyers, for container shipments,” the source added, relating to the stricter inspections implemented at the Vietnam boarders and ports, as reported by Platts.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan Interenatrional
Date: 2018-08-03

Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp, in which Taiwan’s Foxconn a holds majority ownership, will begin to move production of home appliances out of Japan starting this year.

A report in Nikkei Japan on Friday said only Sharp’s Kameyama factory will continue to manufacture televisions after the adjustment. All other manufacturing will move to plants in Thailand and Foxconn’s new plant in the United States, built to mass-produce LCD panels.

The report also said Sharp’s remaining operations in Japan will focus on R&D, logistics, and service tasks after the adjustment. More than 2,000 employees will need to relocate.

Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn acquired the majority share in Sharp in April 2017. Foxconn has since said that Sharp will focus on the R&D and manufacture of mobile devices in the future.    [FULL  STORY]