Stock Markets March 20, 2026

Taiwan market closes higher as tech-related sectors lift benchmark

Taiwan Weighted advances 1.51% led by gains in Glass, Communication and Internet, and Electronic Products Distribution sectors

By Derek Hwang
Taiwan market closes higher as tech-related sectors lift benchmark

Taiwan's stock market finished Friday with a solid gain as the Taiwan Weighted rose 1.51%, paced by jumps in semiconductor-related names and other tech-linked stocks. Notable individual moves included 10% advances for Weltrend Semiconductor, Leadtek Research and Biostar Microtech, while a small group of stocks posted double-digit percentage declines. Commodity and currency markets registered mixed moves alongside the equity advance.

Key Points

  • Taiwan Weighted closed up 1.51%, driven by gains in Glass, Communication and Internet, and Electronic Products Distribution sectors.
  • Top individual winners were Weltrend Semiconductor (TW:2436), Leadtek Research (TW:2465), and Biostar Microtech (TW:2399), each rising 10.00%; Weltrend and Biostar reached 52-week highs.
  • Major commodity and currency moves included crude oil declines, a rise in gold futures, USD/TWD appreciation to 31.96, and the US Dollar Index Futures up at 99.26.

Taiwanese equities ended the trading session higher on Friday, with the Taiwan Weighted benchmark up 1.51% at the close. Sector-level strength was concentrated in Glass, Communication and Internet, and Electronic Products Distribution stocks, which collectively pushed the market upward.

On an individual-company level, Weltrend Semiconductor Inc (TW:2436) was among the strongest performers, climbing 10.00% - an increase of 6.30 points - to finish at 69.30. Leadtek Research Inc (TW:2465) posted the same percentage gain, rising 5.80 points to 63.80. Biostar Microtech International Corp (TW:2399) also rose 10.00%, gaining 2.80 points to close at 30.80.

At the other end of the tape, Apex International Co Ltd (TW:4927) recorded the steepest decline, slipping 8.17% or 4.05 points to 45.50 by the close. Jui Li Enterprise Co Ltd (TW:1512) fell 6.49%, a decrease of 0.51 points to 7.35, while CHC Healthcare Group (TW:4164) dropped 6.18%, shedding 2.05 points to end the day at 31.10.

The session included two companies reaching 52-week highs: Weltrend Semiconductor Inc and Biostar Microtech International Corp, each advancing 10.00% to their respective closing levels of 69.30 and 30.80.

Market breadth data in the reporting provided an ambiguous entry: it stated that falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Taiwan Stock Exchange by 0 to 0. The figure as given is unclear and was reported here without modification.

Commodity and currency markets moved in parallel with equity activity. Crude oil for May delivery fell 2.20%, down $2.10 to $93.45 per barrel. Brent crude for May delivery declined 1.76%, or $1.91, settling at $106.74 a barrel. In precious metals, the April Gold Futures contract rose 1.85%, an increase of $85.01, to trade at $4,690.71 a troy ounce.

Currency pairs recorded modest shifts: USD/TWD was up 0.35% to 31.96, while the TWD/CNY rate was noted as unchanged at 0.22, with a listed change of 0.32% that appears in the provided data. The US Dollar Index Futures was reported up 0.21% at 99.26.

Overall, Friday's close reflected selective buying in tech and distribution-related segments, with several high-percentage individual movers contributing materially to the benchmark's 1.51% rise.

Risks

  • Significant single-stock volatility - several companies moved by double-digit percentages in either direction, impacting sector and index performance.
  • Commodity price swings - declines in crude oil and a rise in gold introduce uncertainty for energy-linked and inflation-sensitive sectors.
  • Currency fluctuations - shifts in USD/TWD and TWD/CNY could affect exporters, importers and firms with significant foreign currency exposures.

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