"Good Morning World" Bloomberg: Benefiting from AI Boom, Taiwan Stock Market Value Exceeds 4 Trillion USD, Surpassing UK
Driven by the AI boom, Taiwan's stock market has surpassed the UK in market capitalization, reaching $4.14 trillion USD. Meanwhile, other news includes political funding controversies, international relations updates, and social issues.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 17, 2026 at 08:53
- 🔍 Collected: April 17, 2026 at 09:01 (8 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 00:50 (39h 48m after Collected)
(Central News Agency) As tensions from the Iran war are expected to further ease, the Taiwan stock market reached an intraday high of 37135.55 points on the 16th, setting a new historical record. It closed at 37132.02 points, also a new high, up 409.88 points from the previous trading day. Taiwan's technology companies are favored globally, driving rapid growth in the Taiwan stock market. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, as of the 15th, Taiwan's total stock market value rose to $4.14 trillion USD (approximately NT$131.6 trillion), surpassing the UK's market value of about $4.09 trillion USD, making it the world's 7th largest stock trading market. (Read the full report)
With strong AI demand, TSMC delivered brilliant results in the first quarter, earning over two stock dividends in a single quarter, and its outlook for the second quarter remains optimistic, with an estimated 10% increase in US dollar revenue. To meet the strong demand for AI applications, TSMC is accelerating investment and increasing its 3nm production capacity, with new 3nm process lines to be added in Southern Taiwan Science Park, the US, and Japan, as well as converting 5nm equipment in Taiwan to produce 3nm chips. TSMC Chairman Wei Zhejia announced good news, predicting an annual growth of over 30%, exceeding previous expectations. (Read the full report)
Mirror Media reported that KMT Chairwoman Zheng Liwen recently led a delegation to China, with expenses totaling NT$4.8 million over six days, for which she applied for subsidies from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, chaired by Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu. The funding has completed internal approval within the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and is proceeding through the application process for disbursement to the KMT. The KMT stated that Chairwoman Zheng's visit to China was a legitimate application to the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy for party exchanges. The Executive Yuan pointed out that the Democratic Foundation is a target of sanctions by China, and such an arrangement by the KMT is surprising, questioning, "Did Chairwoman Zheng discuss democracy and human rights on this trip?" DPP legislator Fan Yun, also a board member of the foundation, said that public tax money should not be used for exchanges lacking democracy and human rights in China, and called for the subsidy to be revoked immediately. The Democratic Foundation explained that the KMT's project plan stated the promotion of Taiwan's free and democratic ideals in China, and the foundation processed it according to the principles of the "Party Subsidy Project Operational Guidelines," which prohibits sponsoring activities related to unification or independence. Currently, the entire case has not yet entered the reimbursement stage. (Read the full report)
With the US and Iran considering a two-week extension of the ceasefire, Axios reported, citing two unnamed US officials, that US and Iranian negotiators made progress in their talks on the 14th, moving a step closer to an agreement to end the war. To reach a framework agreement, the ceasefire must be extended to negotiate the details of a complete agreement. Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that the US military's carrier strike group Bush and the amphibious ready group Boxer are still reinforcing the Middle East, expected to arrive by the end of the month. If the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran breaks down, the US military may resume more airstrikes or even ground operations. (Read the full report)
The Philippine National Security Council issued a statement on the 13th, stating that the Philippine Navy, in February and October last year, found bottles containing suspicious chemicals on Chinese fishing vessels near the Philippine warship BRP Sierra Madre. After testing, the contents were confirmed to be cyanide. The statement said cyanide is a highly toxic substance and its release into seawater could endanger the health of the officers and crew stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, and could severely damage coral reefs and fish populations. Philippine Navy spokesperson for the South China Sea, Trinio de la Cruz, stated that the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice are researching possible legal actions based on relevant international law. If the evidence is sufficient, one option to consider is submitting an international arbitration regarding environmental damage. (Read the full report)
Regarding the case of Kai Kai's abuse death, the Taipei District Court sentenced child welfare league social worker Chen Shang-chieh to two years in prison on charges of negligent homicide on the 16th. The verdict stated that Chen Shang-chieh, as the key person most capable of piecing together the truth of the abuse and coordinating rescue efforts, passively failed to act, leading to Kai Kai's death without any possibility of seeking help. In response to this verdict, the Child Welfare League stated it regrets the fragmentation of the social safety net, ultimately holding an individual frontline social worker fully responsible. The organization has reviewed and revised its service procedures, strengthening risk re-evaluation, abnormal assessment, and child abuse identification. Social work circles are concerned that the verdict holds social workers to a guarantor's status, imposing heavy pressure, which may lead to an exodus of workers. They call for adequate resources to be provided in parallel with imposing high responsibilities. (Read the full report)
After the merger of Taishin Securities and Yuanta Securities on April 6th, frequent issues arose due to system integration. According to Taishin Securities' inventory, the estimated number of incorrect trades reported is around 9,000. Taishin Securities promises to fully bear any losses incurred from the reversal of these incorrect trades, ensuring customer rights are not compromised. It is reported that the amount of wrong trades at Taishin Securities reached NT$1.7 billion. The Financial Supervisory Commission stated that Taishin Securities is still confirming transaction details with customers one by one, and the actual amount of wrong trades is still under clarification. Furthermore, due to the inability to file wrong trades within the deadline, regulations were violated, and the Taiwan Stock Exchange may impose a penalty of no more than NT$100,000 for non-compliance. (Read the full report)
The Baishatun Gongtian Temple's Mazu pilgrimage arrived in Beigang Township, Yunlin County, on the morning of the 16th. Under the escort of hundreds of thousands of people, the Mazu sedan chair entered the temple. The return journey is expected to begin around midnight on the 17th. Gongtian Temple Chairman Hong Wen-hua stated that there were many innovations this year, including over 460,000 registered participants, a historical high. The Mazu sedan chair has not passed through towns like Xiluo and Huwei for many years, but this year it visited friendly temples along the route to strengthen ties, writing multiple "Four Mazu Meetings." According to statistics from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, as of 2 PM, both Chiayi High-Speed Rail and Taiwan Railways stations had over 15,000 passengers each, and over 126 shuttle buses were deployed to transport over 4,333 people. (Read the full report)
In Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, an 11-year-old boy died. On the 16th, the Kyoto Prefectural Police arrested the boy's 37-year-old stepfather, Yasushi Adachi, on suspicion of abandoning a corpse. Japanese media reported that he confessed to killing the boy and disposing of the body alone, and that he had moved the body between different locations. Yomiuri Shimbun interviewed a 60-year-old male shop owner in Nantan City, who said that in late March, a man believed to be Yasushi Adachi, accompanied by a female relative, came to his shop asking if he had seen the boy. The woman appeared anxious, while the man remained expressionless and silent throughout, which "felt very unnatural." Former Hyogo Prefectural Police Criminal Affairs Chief Makoto Tanase pointed out that the stepfather's actions were suspicious, and he concluded that when the school notified the family that the boy was absent, the stepfather did not first...
With strong AI demand, TSMC delivered brilliant results in the first quarter, earning over two stock dividends in a single quarter, and its outlook for the second quarter remains optimistic, with an estimated 10% increase in US dollar revenue. To meet the strong demand for AI applications, TSMC is accelerating investment and increasing its 3nm production capacity, with new 3nm process lines to be added in Southern Taiwan Science Park, the US, and Japan, as well as converting 5nm equipment in Taiwan to produce 3nm chips. TSMC Chairman Wei Zhejia announced good news, predicting an annual growth of over 30%, exceeding previous expectations. (Read the full report)
Mirror Media reported that KMT Chairwoman Zheng Liwen recently led a delegation to China, with expenses totaling NT$4.8 million over six days, for which she applied for subsidies from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, chaired by Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu. The funding has completed internal approval within the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and is proceeding through the application process for disbursement to the KMT. The KMT stated that Chairwoman Zheng's visit to China was a legitimate application to the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy for party exchanges. The Executive Yuan pointed out that the Democratic Foundation is a target of sanctions by China, and such an arrangement by the KMT is surprising, questioning, "Did Chairwoman Zheng discuss democracy and human rights on this trip?" DPP legislator Fan Yun, also a board member of the foundation, said that public tax money should not be used for exchanges lacking democracy and human rights in China, and called for the subsidy to be revoked immediately. The Democratic Foundation explained that the KMT's project plan stated the promotion of Taiwan's free and democratic ideals in China, and the foundation processed it according to the principles of the "Party Subsidy Project Operational Guidelines," which prohibits sponsoring activities related to unification or independence. Currently, the entire case has not yet entered the reimbursement stage. (Read the full report)
With the US and Iran considering a two-week extension of the ceasefire, Axios reported, citing two unnamed US officials, that US and Iranian negotiators made progress in their talks on the 14th, moving a step closer to an agreement to end the war. To reach a framework agreement, the ceasefire must be extended to negotiate the details of a complete agreement. Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that the US military's carrier strike group Bush and the amphibious ready group Boxer are still reinforcing the Middle East, expected to arrive by the end of the month. If the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran breaks down, the US military may resume more airstrikes or even ground operations. (Read the full report)
The Philippine National Security Council issued a statement on the 13th, stating that the Philippine Navy, in February and October last year, found bottles containing suspicious chemicals on Chinese fishing vessels near the Philippine warship BRP Sierra Madre. After testing, the contents were confirmed to be cyanide. The statement said cyanide is a highly toxic substance and its release into seawater could endanger the health of the officers and crew stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, and could severely damage coral reefs and fish populations. Philippine Navy spokesperson for the South China Sea, Trinio de la Cruz, stated that the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice are researching possible legal actions based on relevant international law. If the evidence is sufficient, one option to consider is submitting an international arbitration regarding environmental damage. (Read the full report)
Regarding the case of Kai Kai's abuse death, the Taipei District Court sentenced child welfare league social worker Chen Shang-chieh to two years in prison on charges of negligent homicide on the 16th. The verdict stated that Chen Shang-chieh, as the key person most capable of piecing together the truth of the abuse and coordinating rescue efforts, passively failed to act, leading to Kai Kai's death without any possibility of seeking help. In response to this verdict, the Child Welfare League stated it regrets the fragmentation of the social safety net, ultimately holding an individual frontline social worker fully responsible. The organization has reviewed and revised its service procedures, strengthening risk re-evaluation, abnormal assessment, and child abuse identification. Social work circles are concerned that the verdict holds social workers to a guarantor's status, imposing heavy pressure, which may lead to an exodus of workers. They call for adequate resources to be provided in parallel with imposing high responsibilities. (Read the full report)
After the merger of Taishin Securities and Yuanta Securities on April 6th, frequent issues arose due to system integration. According to Taishin Securities' inventory, the estimated number of incorrect trades reported is around 9,000. Taishin Securities promises to fully bear any losses incurred from the reversal of these incorrect trades, ensuring customer rights are not compromised. It is reported that the amount of wrong trades at Taishin Securities reached NT$1.7 billion. The Financial Supervisory Commission stated that Taishin Securities is still confirming transaction details with customers one by one, and the actual amount of wrong trades is still under clarification. Furthermore, due to the inability to file wrong trades within the deadline, regulations were violated, and the Taiwan Stock Exchange may impose a penalty of no more than NT$100,000 for non-compliance. (Read the full report)
The Baishatun Gongtian Temple's Mazu pilgrimage arrived in Beigang Township, Yunlin County, on the morning of the 16th. Under the escort of hundreds of thousands of people, the Mazu sedan chair entered the temple. The return journey is expected to begin around midnight on the 17th. Gongtian Temple Chairman Hong Wen-hua stated that there were many innovations this year, including over 460,000 registered participants, a historical high. The Mazu sedan chair has not passed through towns like Xiluo and Huwei for many years, but this year it visited friendly temples along the route to strengthen ties, writing multiple "Four Mazu Meetings." According to statistics from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, as of 2 PM, both Chiayi High-Speed Rail and Taiwan Railways stations had over 15,000 passengers each, and over 126 shuttle buses were deployed to transport over 4,333 people. (Read the full report)
In Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, an 11-year-old boy died. On the 16th, the Kyoto Prefectural Police arrested the boy's 37-year-old stepfather, Yasushi Adachi, on suspicion of abandoning a corpse. Japanese media reported that he confessed to killing the boy and disposing of the body alone, and that he had moved the body between different locations. Yomiuri Shimbun interviewed a 60-year-old male shop owner in Nantan City, who said that in late March, a man believed to be Yasushi Adachi, accompanied by a female relative, came to his shop asking if he had seen the boy. The woman appeared anxious, while the man remained expressionless and silent throughout, which "felt very unnatural." Former Hyogo Prefectural Police Criminal Affairs Chief Makoto Tanase pointed out that the stepfather's actions were suspicious, and he concluded that when the school notified the family that the boy was absent, the stepfather did not first...