Business and Finance

South Korean workers from Taiwan-invested company stage protest

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/03/24
By: Zoe Wei, Pan Chi-yi and Lilian Wu

Taipei, March 24 (CNA) South Korean workers from Hydis Technologies, a subsidiary of a

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

Taiwanese company in South Korea, staged a protest in Taipei Tuesday to press their demands that the factory should not be closed.

Twenty-nine of the South Korean workers, together with local support groups, including the Taoyuan Confederation of Labor Unions (桃園縣產業總工會), went to the Ministry of Labor to appeal to E Ink Holdings (EIH, 元太科技) — the parent company of Hydis Technologies — to revoke its decision to shut down the factory and stop laying off its South Korean workers.

One of the workers said that E Ink Holdings pledged previously that it would not sell the company’s patents and would continue to run the factory.     [FULL  STORY]

Consumer confidence still strong, despite dip: poll

STEADY GROWTH:An ADB report forecast GDP growth of 3.7 percent for this year, citing a positive outlook for exports, tourism and earnings from overseas investments

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 25, 2015
By: Amy Su  /  Staff reporter

Taiwan’s consumer confidence index edged down 0.3 points to 101.7 this month from a record-high level last month, but the gauge remained above its average of 90.5 in the past year, according to a survey released yesterday by Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ) and Roy Morgan Research.

The above-100 reading reflected respondents’ optimism about the recent pickup in the domestic economy, ANZ-Roy Morgan said.

“The jobless rate in Taiwan fell to a 14-year low, while the stock market performed very strongly. All these bode well for Taiwan’s growth prospects,” Hong Kong-based ANZ senior economist Raymond Yeung (楊宇霆) said in a statement.     [FULL  STORY]

Li Keqiang vows to uphold interests of Taiwanese businesses

Want China Times
Date: 2015-03-24
By: Staff Reporter

China’s premier, Li Keqiang, has told Jason Hu, vice chair of our parent company Want Want

Jason Hu gives a TV interview to Xinhua in Beijing, March 22. (Photo/Xinhua)

Jason Hu gives a TV interview to Xinhua in Beijing, March 22. (Photo/Xinhua)

Holdings and former mayor of Taichung, that his government “will take good care of Taiwanese businesses,” our sister paper China Times reports.

The government pays close attention to the interests of Taiwanese investors, Li told Hu at a meeting in Beijing following the China Development Forum on March 23. Want Want Holdings, represented by Hu, was the only Taiwan-based enterprise invited to the annual event.

China emphasizes the idea of “one family across the Strait” and wants Taiwanese businesses to be at ease, the premier said.     [FULL  STORY]

Hon Hai aiming to participate in Sharp management: report

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/03/24
By: Jalen Chung and Frances Huang

Taipei, March 24 (CNA) Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (鴻海) wants to 201503240010t0001participate in the management of Sharp Corp. if it is to invest in the struggling Japanese electronics maker, Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou said in a report in Toyo Keizai.

In an interview published in the Japanese weekly Friday, Gou said Hon Hai is ready to support Sharp financially, but the support is contingent on being able to join in the Japanese company’s management.

Gou said he has not met with Sharp President Kozo Takahashi in a year, but if the Sharp executive wanted to see him, he would be able to fly to Japan at any time.     [FULL  STORY]

Cathay wins bid for insolvent insurers

MOVING ON:The FSC is hopeful that the auction of Global Life and Singfor Life marks the end to using public money to pay a company to take over problematic insurers

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 24, 2015
By: Amy Su  /  Staff reporter

Cathay Life Insurance Co Ltd (國泰人壽) yesterday won the auction for insolvent Global Life Insurance Co (國寶人壽) and Singfor Life Insurance Co (幸福人壽), with a lower-than-expected bid for compensation of NT$30.3 billion (US$961.8 million), the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) said.

The life insurance arm of Cathay Financial Holding Co (國泰金控) beat three other bidders. The commission did not specify their identity, but Fubon Life Insurance Co (富邦人壽) is rumored to be one of them.     [FULL  STORY]

Dropping fuel prices cast positive market outlook: Evergreen

Want China Times
Date: 2015-03-24
By: CNA

Evergreen Group, a Taiwan-based conglomerate providing shipping and logistic services, said

EVA Airways aircrafts at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, March 11. (File photo/Kao Hsing-yu)

EVA Airways aircrafts at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, March 11. (File photo/Kao Hsing-yu)

Monday that plummeting fuel prices across the globe could help the industry generate more profits this year.

Operating costs of both its air and marine shipping businesses could drop by 20% compared with the same period of last year, said Group vice chair Hsieh Chih-chien.

Thanks to a recovering global economy and especially positive GDP prospects for the United States, Hsieh said the group is expecting a promising market in 2015.     [FULL  STORY]