Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/12/05
By: Wu Po-wei and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Dec. 5 (CNA) Consumer prices increased by more than half a percent in November, due mainly to an increase in the price of fruit, vegetables, cosmetics, sanitation and personal items, medical costs and tourism expenses, the country's statistics bureau reported Thursday.

The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.59 percent in November year-on-year after rising 0.39 percent in October, according to Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) figures.

On a monthly basis, the CPI dropped 0.41 percent, and after seasonal adjustments, the figure fell 0.09 percent.

Core CPI, which excludes fruit, vegetables and energy, rose 0.55 percent in November from a year earlier, the DGBAS figures showed.    [FULL  STORY]

Yi Fang’s image and business suffered when it drew criticism for siding with Beijing

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/12/04
By: Huang Tzu-ti, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Controversial Taiwan tea franchise Yi Fang Fruit Tea (一芳水果茶) opened its first branch in Thailand on Tuesday (Dec. 3), as it strives to stage a comeback in the Southeast Asian country following losses in its home market.

The store, in the Bangkok shopping mall of Samyan Mitrtown, has been well-received since starting a trial run in October, reported UDN. The company plans to open 14 stores in Thailand, with the next one slated for December.

In August, Yi Fang waded into political hot water by publicly supporting Beijing’s “one country, two systems” mechanism and denouncing labor strikes in Hong Kong, as pro-democracy protests took hold. The statement triggered a backlash and boycott, which sent sales plunging.

Kei Tzu-kai (柯梓凱), founder of the tea franchise, made a plea for forgiveness last month in a statement seeking to win back the hearts of consumers. More than 30 Yi Fang shops in Taiwan have ceased operations in the aftermath of the incident as a result of lackluster business.
[FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/12/04
By: Frances Huang

Taipei, Dec. 4 (CNA) Shares in Taiwan closed slightly lower Wednesday after recouping most of the earlier losses caused by a plunge on U.S. markets overnight after U.S. President Donald Trump said a trade deal with China could be delayed until after the 2020 presidential vote, dealers said.

Bargain hunting, in particular in the late trading session, generally pushed large cap stocks in both electronics and non-tech sectors out of their earlier sluggishness, helping the broader market return to the 11,500 point mark by the end of the session, they said.

The weighted index on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) or the Taiex closed down 21.11 points, or 0.18 percent, at 11,510.47, after moving between 11,457.43 and 11,513.83, on turnover of NT$104.20 billion (US$3.42 billion).

The market opened down 0.17 percent and fell further to the day's low as investors took their cue from heavy losses on U.S. markets, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 1.01 percent and the S&P 500 index ended down 0.66 percent amid rising worries over global trade in the wake of Trump's remarks, dealers said.    [FULL  STORY]

‘UNCERTAINTY’: The company had expected Shanghai Grape King to post 50 percent annual growth in sales, but performance was hampered by a slowing market in China

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 05, 2019
By: Kao Shih-ching  /  Staff reporter, in Taoyuan

Grape King Bio Ltd (葡萄王) yesterday said its Chinese unit, Shanghai Grape King Enterprises Corp

(上海葡萄王), has performed sluggishly this year, posting a double-digit decline in sales to about NT$705 million (US$23.11 million) in the first 10 months.

The supplier of probiotics and mycelium health foods had expected the Chinese unit to post 50 percent annual growth in sales, Grape King Bio chairman Andrew Tseng (曾盛麟) told a media briefing in Taoyuan.

Shanghai Grape King was affected by lower orders from two of its major clients in China amid a slowing market dragged by stricter marketing regulations and falling consumer spending due to a US-China trade dispute, Tseng said.    [FULL  STORY]

REDUCING POLLUTION: People buying fuel-powered scooters that meet Phase 7 emissions standards could receive up to NT$5,000 if they retire their old scooter

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 04, 2019
By: Lisa Wang  /  Staff reporter

Kwang Yang Motor Co (光陽工業), the nation’s largest manufacturer of gasoline-powered scooters,

plans to defend its market position next year by rolling out 15 new gasoline-powered scooter models that meet the government’s Phase 7 emissions standards.

To cope with stringent emissions requirements, the company yesterday launched two scooters that it says produce 96 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than scooters that meet the Phase 6 emissions standards.

The older-generation scooters would be phased out, the company said.

The Kaohsiung-based company said that local scooter makers are gearing up to launch new low-emission models after the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in October introduced the new scooter emissions law to reduce air pollution, which is to go into effect next year, one year earlier than originally scheduled.

The EPA plans to subsidize purchases of fuel-powered scooters that meet the new emissions standards for two years, beginning next year.    [FULL  STORY]

The list was generated based on numbers of views in October, with food and entertainment leading the way

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/12/02
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — YouTube has become a prime source of entertainment for millions of people in Taiwan and its analytics tool, NoxInfluencer, reveals that eight of the top 10 most-viewed YouTubers focus on food and entertainment.

The list was generated based on the numbers of the views in October, and all of the YouTubers speak Mandarin. The full list reads as follows:  

1. Xiaoying Cuisine (People & Blogs)
2. Kouki (Games)
3. Super Kitchen Food (Howto)
4. Walker Dad (Film & Animation)
5. J.A.M (People & Blogs)
6. STR Network (Entertainment)
7. Yes Ranger (Entertainment)
8. Xiaoling Toy (Entertainment)
9. Peng Yu-kai (People & Blogs)
10. Japan Sanyuan_JAPAN (People & Blogs)       [FULL STORY]
     

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/12/02
By: Liu Pei-cheng and Frances Huang

Taipei, Dec. 2 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange's (TWSE) benchmark index will likely challenge and surpass its historical high in the first quarter of 2020 because of an improving economy and strong market liquidity, an expert said Monday.

Hsiao Chien-hsiang (蕭乾祥), chairman of Fubon Securities Investment Services Co., said at an investment forum that Taiwan has relatively sound economic fundamentals compared with neighboring countries, and its stock market should continue to flourish.

He pointed to Taiwan's expected 2.64 percent growth in 2019, which would beat the 1.7 percent growth forecast for South Korea, 0.5 percent growth projected for Singapore, and 0.9 percent growth anticipated for Japan as forecast by IHS Markit.

Taiwan's economy is also expected to grow 2.72 percent in 2020, Hsiao said, citing the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS).    [FULL  STORY]