Stock Markets May 21, 2026 02:00 AM

Taiwan benchmark closes lower as semiconductors and utilities weigh on market

Taiwan Weighted drops 1.75% at the close as select renewables and small-cap names rally while major memory names slide

By Nina Shah

Taiwan's main index finished the session down 1.75%, pressured by losses in the semiconductor and electricity segments. While a few names, including United Renewable Energy and Favite, posted double-digit percentage gains, heavyweight memory chip stocks Nanya Technology and Winbond Electronics were among the largest decliners. Commodity and FX moves were mixed, with oil higher, gold softer and USD/TWD unchanged.

Taiwan benchmark closes lower as semiconductors and utilities weigh on market

Key Points

  • Taiwan Weighted declined 1.75% at the close, driven by losses in the semiconductor and electricity sectors.
  • Top gainers included United Renewable Energy (TW:3576), Favite (TW:3535) and Plotech (TW:6141) with near double-digit to double-digit percentage advances.
  • Major declines were registered by Nanya Technology (TW:2408), Winbond Electronics (TW:2344) and Lung Hwa Electronics (TW:2424), each posting roughly 10% drops.

Taiwan equities ended Thursday's trading with the benchmark Taiwan Weighted slipping 1.75% at the close as weakening performance in the semiconductor and electricity sectors pushed the market lower.

At the close, United Renewable Energy Co Ltd (TW:3576) was the session's top performer on the Taiwan Weighted, advancing 10.00% or 1.75 points to finish at 19.25. Favite Inc (TW:3535) also gained 10.00%, adding 12.00 points to close at 132.00. Plotech Co Ltd (TW:6141) rose 9.98% or 3.10 points to end the day at 34.15.

On the downside, Nanya Technology Corp (TW:2408) recorded the largest decline among notable names, falling 10.00% or 30.50 points to close at 274.50. Winbond Electronics Corp (TW:2344) lost 9.96% or 13.00 points to finish at 117.50, while Lung Hwa Electronics Co Ltd (TW:2424) slipped 9.93% or 2.20 points to trade at 19.95 at the close.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Taiwan Stock Exchange by 0 to 0.


Commodities showed mixed direction in late trading. Crude oil for July delivery was up 0.46% or 0.46 to $99.46 a barrel. Brent crude for July delivery rose 0.64% or 0.67 to $106.15 a barrel. By contrast, the June Gold Futures contract fell 0.37% or 16.85 to trade at $4,529.30 a troy ounce.

In foreign exchange, USD/TWD was unchanged, standing at 31.58, while TWD/CNY was unchanged at 0.22, reflecting little movement in those pairs during the session.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.05% at 99.12.


Market participants saw a split between a handful of strong small- and mid-cap performers and sharp sell-offs in several larger technology-related names. The mix of sector pressure and isolated gains left the Taiwan Weighted lower by the close.

Risks

  • Sustained weakness in the semiconductor sector could continue to exert downward pressure on the Taiwan Weighted, affecting technology-heavy segments.
  • Significant declines in individual large-cap chipmakers introduce volatility and concentration risk for the broader market.
  • Commodity price swings, such as rising crude and softer gold, could create uncertainty for energy-linked and commodity-sensitive sectors.

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