Taiwan: Stocks rise after long Lunar New Year holiday

[TAIPEI] Taiwan stocks rose 1 per cent on Tuesday, the first day of trading after a long Lunar New Year holiday, led by tech and Apple Inc suppliers.

The main TAIEX index rose 96.61 points to 9626.12 as of 0219 GMT, after closing up 0.35 per cent in the previous session.

Markets had been closed since Feb. 13.

The electronics subindex notched a 1.21 per cent gain, with semiconductors and electrical components both showing strength, rising 1.56 and 1.39 per cent, respectively.

Key firms gaining included Apple touch-screen maker TPK Holding Co Ltd, up 3.66 per cent, and iPhone assembler Pegatron Corp, which rose 2.24 per cent.

Rubber and food were the lone laggards among major subindexes, falling 0.24 per cent and 0.17 per cent, respectively.

The Taiwan dollar was up T$0.068 to stand at T$31.570 to the US dollar.

REUTERS