Taiwan: Stocks, currency fall in line with Asian markets

[TAIWAN] Taiwan's stocks and currency fell on Friday tracking weaker regional markets, as heavyweights such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co edged lower and a rise in US bond yields lifted the dollar.

The main Taiex index fell 0.3 per cent, to 8,971.58 points, as of 0155 GMT, after closing at 8,995.26 in the previous session.

The electronics subindex slipped 0.1 per cent, while the financials subindex lost 0.8 per cent.

TSMC, the world's biggest contract chip maker, fell 0.6 per cent.

The Taiwan dollar softened NT$0.128 to NT$31.996 per US dollar, after hitting a low of NT$32, its lowest since July, earlier in Friday's session.

The Taiwandollar vaulted to 13-1/2-year highs against a basket of major currencies as US bond yields rose, leaving Asian stocks vulnerable to potential rotation out of emerging markets to the United States.

REUTERS