Business and Finance

Winbond shares up on NOR story

MORE OF A FABLE?In a statement to the stock exchange, Winbond Electronics denied a newspaper report that it is thinking about acquiring Micron’s NOR flash memory unit

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 14, 2017
By: Lisa Wang / Staff reporter

Shares of Winbond Electronics Corp (華邦電子) surged 2.15 percent yesterday in Taipei trading on speculation that the memorychip maker was considering buying Micron Technology Inc’s NOR flash memory business.

Winbond’s shares closed at NT$11.9, their highest in about a week, while the TAIEX only rose 0.48 percent.

Winbond shares rallied after the Chinese-language Economic Daily News reported that the Hsinchu firm was seriously studying the feasibility of acquiring Micron’s NOR flash memory business, which, if the deal is completed, would make it the biggest NOR flash memory supplier with a 37 percent share of the market.    [FULL  STORY]

6-incher

The China Post
Date: February 14, 2017, 12:07 am TWN
By: CNA

CNA — China’s largest smartphone vendor OPPO debuts its 6-inch R9Plus series at a presentation in Taipei on Monday, Fe. 13. OPPO Taiwan will move to double the number of its physical sales stores around the island to 50 by the end of the year. The unit price of the model is set at NT$17,990.
[SOURCE]

Aviation firms turn to seaweed, sugar

The China Post
Date: February 13, 2017
By: AFP

MONTREAL — The air transportation sector is turning slowly toward sustainable fuels

An Airbus A321 aircraft using Biojet A-1 Total/Amyris, a biofuel produced from an innovative sugar-processing technology, is parked on the tarmac at Le Bourget airport, near Paris on June 20, 2013 during the 50th International Paris Air show. (AFP)

as part of the global fight against climate change.

But adoption has been delayed due to a lack of incentives and low oil prices.

“It’s very urgent to develop these alternative fuels,” said Michel Wachenheim of the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA).

“There is no reason to be satisfied with the situation.”

Despite an expected increase in airline traffic, the aviation industry is the first commercial sector to commit itself to limiting carbon emissions within 20 years, through a binding mechanism.    [FULL  STORY]

CPC to cut fuel prices by NT$0.1 per liter

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/02/12
By: Huang Li-yun and Ko Lin

Taipei, Feb. 12 (CNA) The state-owned CPC Corp., Taiwan (中油) announced Sunday

(CNA file photo)

that it will cut its diesel and gasoline prices by NT$0.1 (US$0.003) per liter with effect from midnight, based on lower international crude oil prices.

After the hike, fuel prices at CPC gas pumps will be NT$22.6 per liter for super diesel, NT$24.9 per liter for 92 octane unleaded, NT$26.4 per liter for 95 octane unleaded, and NT$28.4 for 98 octane unleaded.

CPC calculates its weekly fuel prices based on a weighted oil price formula comprising 70 percent Dubai crude and 30 percent Brent crude (7D3B). The company’s data showed the average price per barrel of 7D3B at US$54.25 last week, representing a drop of US$0.47 from the previous week.    [FULL  STORY]

Formosa Plastics reports 27% sales rise

PEAKS:Taiwan’s petrochemical companies are expecting higher sales this quarter based on demand in China for cars and home appliances, and improved conditions in India

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 13, 2017
By: Ted Chen / Staff reporter

Formosa Plastics Group (台塑集團), the nation’s largest industrial conglomerate, on Friday reported that combined sales at its four main units last month rose 26.9 percent compared with the previous year to NT$129.43 billion (US$4.17).

Among the four units, Formosa Petrochemical Corp (FPCC, 台塑石化), the nation’s only listed oil refiner, was the top performer last month, posting sales of NT$60.55 billion, up 44 percent annually and 7.4 percent monthly, company data showed.

At a news conference on Friday, FPCC president Tsao Minh (曹明) gave an upbeat outlook on global oil prices on the back of improving economic growth momentum and ongoing production cuts among oil suppliers.

Tsao said that crude prices are expected to rise to about US$55 per barrel this year, adding that rising prices have led to a US$3.2 per barrel increase in the average selling prices of the company’s oil products last month.    [FULL  STORY]

Hon Hai’s price up on Sharp profit

The China Post
Date: February 13, 2017
By: CNA

TAIPEI — An Asian brokerage has raised its target price on shares in Taiwan-based

Hon Hai staff celebrate the new lunar year with offerings and firecrackers outside the company’s headquarters in New Taipei’s Tucheng District on Monday, Feb. 6. The tech group’s vice president, Lu Fang-ming (呂芳銘), was on hand to distribute red envelopes. (CNA)

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (鴻海), the world’s largest contract electronics maker, after Japan’s Sharp Corp., in which the Taiwanese firm holds a majority stake, turned a profit for the fourth quarter of last year.

In a research note, the brokerage said that a profitable Sharp is expected to boost Hon Hai’s earnings for the fourth quarter of last year by 1 percent. In the third quarter, a loss-making Sharp dragged down Hon Hai’s earnings by about 6 percent, according to the brokerage.

The brokerage said that it raised its target price on shares in Hon Hai, an assembler of iPhones and iPads for Apple Inc., from NT$78 to NT$97 (US$3.13) and upgraded a recommendation on the stock from a “hold” to a “buy.”    [FULL  STORY]

Port authority projects 30% growth in cruise traffic

Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-02-11

The Taiwan International Ports Corporation is projecting a 30% increase in cruise traffic through Taiwanese ports during 2017.

The state-owned ports management company says that around 600 cruises carrying a million passengers will likely pass through Taiwan before the end of the year.

The company announced its projection during a regularly scheduled press conference Friday. It cited a report by industry group Cruise Lines International Association that called Taiwan Asia’s second-largest cruise market and forecast growth in Asia during 2017.

Some cruise operators have already begun expanding their services from Taiwan. Star Cruises has announced that it will begin operating its services from Keelung to Okinawa and Ishigaki Island in Japan year-round. The Princess and Costa cruise lines are also starting to use Keelung as a home port this year.    [SOURCE]

TWSE discloses cash dividend yield on main board

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/02/11
By: Tien Yu-pin and Frances Huang

Taipei, Feb. 11 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) has disclosed the average

CNA file photo

cash dividend yield on the local main board, a move that brings the local equity market into line with international practice.

The disclosure of the average cash dividend yield, which began in January, comes with other market information released by the TWSE, on market capitalization, average turnover ratio, average price to earnings ratio (PE), average price to book value ratio (PB) and average turnover ratio.

The cash dividend yield represents the ratio of the annual cash dividend a company pays to its share price. A higher dividend yield means investors receive a higher return from their investments.2    [FULL  STORY]

Shares in Asia climb on Trump’s tax revamp plan

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 12, 2017
By: Bloomberg

Asian shares rose to the highest level since July 2015, following US stocks’ climb to record highs after US President Donald Trump said he plans to overhaul business taxes.

Stocks advanced in nearly all Asia-Pacific markets following Trump’s pledge that a “phenomenal” plan to overhaul business taxes will be released within weeks.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index on Friday rose 0.9 percent to 143.88 in a rally led by shares of consumer discretionary companies. The index stood at 142.08 last week.

Japanese auto-related stocks were among the biggest boosts to the gauge, as a weaker yen improved the outlook for exporters.    [FULL  STORY]

Don’t say goodbye yet: Uber ‘looks forward’ to serving Taiwan again

The China Post
Date: February 11, 2017
By: CNA/AFP

TAIPEI — U.S.-based ride-hailing company Uber, which suspended its services in

A car adorned with pictures and words supporting the ride-sharing service Uber is seen in Taipei on Friday, Feb. 10. (CNA)

Taiwan starting on Friday, said it hoped to resume dialogue with Taiwan’s government and looked forward to serving people in this country again.

“As much as want to continue, the current regulatory environment makes it impossible to serve the island the way we know works best,” Uber said in a statement.

“By hitting pause, we hope to reset our conversation with the government and find a way to allow ridesharing to flourish. We will do everything we can to restart the service,” it added.

The government has determined that Uber cannot legally operate transportation services in Taiwan because it is registered in Taiwan as an information services company.    [FULL  STORY]