TOP PICK:Daiwan Capital has chosen Makalot as its most preferred stock in the textile sector, as it has high US market exposure and is heavily invested in functional clothing

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 22, 2015
By: Lauly Li  /  Staff reporter

Makalot Industrial Co (聚陽), a garment manufacturer for global clothing brands, expects this quarter and next quarter’s revenues to grow by at least a double-digit percentage year-on-year on the back of growing orders for functional clothing, Makalot chairman Frank Chou (周理平) said yesterday.

“The final quarter of the year is usually slow for Makalot due to seasonal factors, but thanks to a global increase in demand for sportswear, orders for the fourth quarter are at least 20 percent more than the same period last year,” Chou told reporters on the sidelines of an investors’ conference in Taipei.

Makalot reported unaudited pretax earnings of NT$1.32 billion (US$42.03 million) in the first half, up 29.1 percent annually, with consolidated revenue growing 12.4 percent to NT$10.75 billion from the same period last year.

The China Times
Date: July 22, 2015
By: CNA

TAIPEI–Data Systems Consulting Co. (鼎新電腦), Taiwan’s largest supplier of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, teamed up with industrial computer maker Advantech Co. (研華科技) Tuesday to provide solutions that can improve manufacturing efficiency.

The collaboration will allow the collection of data from controllers, sensors, robots and controlling equipment in factories and the uploading of data to Advantech’s Web browser-based software platform, enabling enterprises to remotely monitor, analyze and improve their manufacturing processes through Data Systems’ ERP system.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-07-20
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, July 20 (CNA) Swiss brokerage firm UBS Securities has cut its forecast for the Taiex, Taiwan stock exchange’s benchmark index, for the end of the year from 9,750 to 9,200 points, making its third downward revision in two months.

Taiwan’s exports slowed down in the first half of 2015, and “we believe conditions are unlikely to improve substantially in the second half,” William Dong (???), equities and research head of UBS Securities’ Taipei branch, wrote in a note to clients on July 17.

“With many tech companies citing low demand visibility and/or ongoing inventory adjustments, we believe a seasonal pickup in tech shipments may prove short-lived,” Dong said. “One exception though is Apple’s supply chain.”     [FULL  STORY]

MORE UNIFIED MANAGEMENT:The ministry is looking for ways to coordinate the actions of Taiwan’s four state funds, diversify their portfolios and boost their efficiency

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 21, 2015
By: Crystal Hsu  /  Staff reporter

The Ministry of Finance is to suggest that the Cabinet create a platform to marshal the operations of four state funds to boost their efficiency and profitability so they can better help strengthen the nation’s financial health, Minister of Finance Chang Sheng-ford (張盛和) said yesterday.

“The idea is to integrate the four funds into a quasi-sovereign wealth fund [SWF] without needing to revise the law,” Chang said by telephone.     [FULL  STORY]

STIMULUS:Analysts said soft exports that are not caused by a drop in the price of crude could indicate fundamental economic issues, and cheap credit may encourage spending

Taipei Times
Date: , Jul 20, 2015
By: Crystal Hsu  /  Staff reporter

The central bank might consider cutting interest rates this quarter if data due on Friday next week show that GDP growth was lower than 3 percent in the first half, economists said yesterday.

The Cabinet on Wednesday instructed the National Development Council to recommend measures to boost exports, which contracted 7.1 percent in the first six months, worse than the 6.95 percent fall the statistics agency projected in May.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-07-18
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, July 18 (CNA) The Council of Agriculture (COA) said Saturday that suppliers of substandard pet foods will face fines soon if their products are found to be potentially harmful to pets, as the government tries to protect a growing number of cats and dogs raised by households in Taiwan.

Wang Chung-shu, deputy director of the COA’s department of the animal industry, said that the council had set standards to prevent pets from pathogenic microorganism and animal health hazards. The standards are scheduled to take effect at the end of July or in early August, he said.

Under Taiwan’s Animal Protection Act, the COA has been authorized to write the standards for allowable levels of pathogenic microorganism and animal health hazards for pets’ safety. Wang said that any pet foods suppliers who violate the standards could be fined NT$50,000 (US$1,597) to NT$250,000 based on the magnitude of the damage.     [FULL  STORY]