Taipei, Oct. 31 (CNA) The Taipei-based European Chamber of Commerce (ECCT) has called on Taiwan to embrace trade agreements with China and the European Union, contending that such deals will secure its position in the new economic world order. ECCT Chairman Philippe Pellegrin said that as economies across the world begin to bounce back from [...]

The Central Bank of China (CBC) plans to ask domestic banks to convert their existing staged interest rates for housing loans to uniform rates or narrow the difference between the staged rates, so as to curb housing speculation. The change will make it more difficult for housing speculators to borrow massive banking loans for speculation [...]

Taiwan Ratings Corp. (TRC) recently revised the outlooks on the ratings on Mega Financial Holding Co., Ltd. Group to stable from negative.The outlook revision mainly reflects TRC’s expectation that the potential impairment losses, either from Mega FHC Group`s structured investment or contingent liability, are likely to be absorbable, based on its operating profits and strong [...]

Answering the demand for green energy solutions, Taiwan’s heavy-duty electrical firms and web software providers are scrambling to tap the nascent smart-grid market, which is expected to generate US$183 billion in business opportunities within the next two decades.Firms in the field in Taiwan include the Teco Group, Tatung Co., Allis Electric Corp., Shihlin Electric & [...]

After falling consecutively for 11 months since the global meltdown, the average loan rate at Taiwan’s five government-linked banks finally rose 0.275 of a percentage point to 1.577% per annum in September of this year, according to the central bank here.The five banks are Bank of Taiwan (BOT), Taiwan Cooperative Bank, Land Bank of Taiwan, [...]

With the global economy gradually picking up, Compal Electronics Inc. and Wistron Corp., both world-caliber notebook PC makers, scored a new high of NT$5.141 billion (US$158.18 million at US$1: NT$32.5) and NT$2.717 billion (US$83.6 million), respectively, for their net profits in the third quarter of this year, up 59% and 44.83% from a quarter earlier, [...]

Taipei, Oct. 30 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou on Friday became Taiwan’s first head of state to appear at the opening of the Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF) in the show’s 23-year history, voicing optimism over the prospects of the country’s tourism industry. Ma said that despite the swine flu outbreak, Typhoon Morakot, and the economic [...]

Taipei, Oct. 30 (CNA) The U.S. dollar dropped against the new Taiwan dollar on the Taipei Foreign Exchange Friday, falling NT$0.045 to close at NT$32.535. A total of US$616 million changed hands during the day’s trading. The U.S. currency opened at the day’s high of NT$32.580 and dipped to NT$32.478 before rebounding. (By Nick Huang)

Taipei, Oct. 30 (CNA) The Council of Agriculture (COA) joined local cattle farmers and traders Friday in promoting Taiwanese beef in anticipation of competition from U.S. beef, after Taiwan’s government lifted a ban this month on previously-banned U.S. beef products. COA Minister Chen Wu-hsiung stressed that local beef is safer and fresher than imports, and [...]

Security for the year-end local elections and cross-strait talks in December in Taichung City will be the priorities for the National Police Agency (NPA), Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said yesterday. “Ensuring year-end local elections run smoothly is a priority for the police force,” Jiang told ­police officials during a meeting on public [...]