MediaTek and Novatek powered a broad semiconductor rebound that lifted the TAIEX 287.41 points to 47,109.52 by the Wednesday close, as foreign institutional investors swung to a net buy of NT$18.6 billion after two sessions of selling tied to typhoon trade halts and U.S. yield jitters.
Chip names led the tape
MediaTek rose 3.2 percent after handset supply-chain checks showed stronger October build orders for mid-tier 5G models destined for India and Southeast Asia. Novatek added 4.1 percent as panel driver IC inventories cleared at downstream assemblers in Taoyuan. ASE Technology gained 2.4 percent on packaging utilization data, helping the electronic-parts sub-index outpace the broader market.
Cathay Financial Holdings, which had anchored the weighted index near 46,822 on Monday, slipped 0.8 percent as life-insurance hedging costs ticked higher. The drag was not enough to offset chip strength, and the financial sub-index finished only modestly lower.
Who was buying
Securities firms said proprietary desks added beta in the morning after Taiwan’s dollar stabilized near NT$32.4 against the U.S. currency. Investment trusts remained net sellers for a fifth day, rotating into government bonds ahead of a central bank commentary window, but their sales were smaller than foreign purchases.
Retail order flow through online brokers clustered in AI server supply names and second-tier memory packaging plays, echoing Tuesday night futures activity on the Singapore exchange.
Technical levels traders cite
Chart desks flagged 47,100 as the first resistance band after the index reclaimed its 20-day moving average. Options open interest stacked at the 47,000 strike for week-ahead contracts, suggesting hedgers expect volatility around U.S. megacap earnings rather than local typhoon disruptions.
Shipping names including Evergreen Marine rebounded 1.9 percent on container rate checks, contributing 31 index points according to exchange sector attribution tables published after the close.
What could change Thursday
Traders said Micron labor talks in Taoyuan remain the main domestic overhang; a strike authorization could pressure packaging peers even if DRAM spot prices stay firm. U.S. session cues overnight will also matter for ADR-linked names when Taipei reopens.
The exchange reported average daily turnover rose to NT$412 billion, up from NT$356 billion Tuesday, a sign that dip buyers returned once Champi-related market closures ended.
What readers should watch next
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