Good Morning World: Taiwan Stock Market Closes Above 40,000 Points for First Time, Surging 1778 Points for Largest Ever Gain
On the 4th, the Taiwan stock market broke the 40,000-point mark for the first time, closing at 40705.14 points with a historic gain of 1778 points, driven by TSMC and MediaTek. Meanwhile, Shanghai stocks maintained highs due to intervention but remained below past records. Elsewhere, Middle East tensions escalated with concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, and Taiwan reported on rat control measures and labor fund performance. Japan-China relations also face difficulties regarding educational exchanges.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 08:57
- 🔍 Collected: May 5, 2026 at 09:31 (34 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 5, 2026 at 12:06 (2h 34m after Collected)
Central News Agency
On the 4th, the Taiwan stock market opened high and rose throughout the day, surging by 1828.89 points at one point, reaching a high of 40755.52 points. It eventually closed at 40705.14 points, an increase of 1778.51 points, breaking the 40,000-point mark for the first time ever at close. Both the intraday and closing indices, as well as the point gain, set historical records. The transaction value was NT$1.006887 trillion. Leading stock TSMC climbed to NT$2285 during the session, up NT$150, marking its largest ever intraday gain. MediaTek surged to its daily limit, buoyed by news of foreign institutional price targets, boosting the performance of IC design concept stocks. (Read full report)
Global stock markets, including US, Japanese, and Taiwanese stocks, have recently reached new highs. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index (SSE) closed at 4112 points on the last trading day before the long holiday starting May 1st, maintaining a high point for the period, thanks to various market stabilization measures by authorities. However, it is still more than 2000 points lower than the SSE's historical peak in October 2007, a decline of about one-third. Since Xi Jinping took office as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in November 2012, the SSE Index experienced a frenzied surge from under 2000 points to 5178 points within a year, followed by a more than halving within half a year, and then an 8.5-year period of range-bound consolidation. Only after the CCP Central Committee introduced a series of market-saving measures in September 2024 did the SSE Index break free from consolidation and restart its bull run. In January this year, the SSE Index finally stabilized above the 4000-point threshold, and in March, it reached a period high of 4197 points, temporarily forming the third-ranked period high. (Read full report)
President Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini, a diplomatic ally in Africa, created a "Taiwan whirlwind" there. Eswatini citizens expressed their welcome to President Lai's long-distance visit to Central News Agency reporters on site and thanked Taiwan for its long-term assistance to Eswatini. Local overseas Chinese also stated that President Lai's arrival despite difficulties deeply touched many Eswatini people; the king specifically sent a special plane to pick up President Lai, showing the high regard for Taiwan. The US Department of State commented on this visit, saying that Taiwan is a trusted and capable partner for the US and many other countries; Taiwan's relations with countries worldwide bring significant benefits to their citizens, including Eswatini. The State Department also said that the Taiwanese President's visit to Eswatini is a routine visit and should not be politicized. (Read full report)
Rat infestation in Taipei streets has sparked public grievances. On the afternoon of the 4th, the Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection led a team to visit the Ministry of Environment. The Ministry of Environment put forward four recommendations, including adopting a dengue fever prevention model for division of labor, proactively publishing prevention progress and specific measures to the public, implementing a division of labor mechanism in public areas, and inviting experts to discuss and formulate scientific prevention strategies. Regarding public concerns about children and pets accidentally ingesting rat poison, the Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection stated that they will try to integrate and publish information on filling rat holes and applying pesticides to make it easier for the public to understand. Infectious disease doctors reminded that contact with rat excrement can lead to Hantavirus and Leptospirosis infection; if food packaging is bitten by rats, it must be discarded and not eaten. Public health experts say that rat control should primarily focus on environmental cleaning, supplemented by poison bait or traps. Professor Hsu Er-lieh, an emeritus professor of entomology at National Taiwan University and pest expert, pointed out that using bait indoors for rat control is not recommended to prevent parasites from spreading after rats die. In addition, a Dutch cruise ship recently reported a suspected Hantavirus outbreak, which has caused 3 deaths. (Read full report)
The Ministry of Labor announced the latest labor fund performance on the 4th. As of the end of March this year, the labor fund's revenue was NT$434.4 billion, with a return rate of 5.76%. However, the single-month revenue in March plummeted by NT$378.7 billion, setting a new historical record for the largest single-month loss. The Bureau of Labor Funds stated that in March, financial markets were affected by the US-Iran conflict, with global major stock markets fluctuating downwards and bond markets correcting simultaneously, leading to severe market volatility and affecting short-term fund returns. However, global financial indicators were strong in April, especially Taiwan's stock market performance, with a projected "no ceiling" for April returns. (Read full report)
US President Trump announced the launch of "Operation Freedom" to escort ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command subsequently stated in a press release that this mission would officially begin on the 4th. The US military will deploy missile destroyers, over 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, and approximately 15,000 military personnel; US officials emphasized that "Operation Freedom" is not a "convoy mission" in the traditional sense. In response, European diplomatic circles and shipowners believe that without military escort, a coordination mechanism alone is unlikely to significantly change the situation in the strait. Iran responded that it would view any US attempt to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. (Read full report)
Asahi Shimbun reported that a promotion event for studying in Japan, originally scheduled to be held in Shanghai and other cities in China in mid-April, was postponed at short notice before its opening. Multiple informed sources revealed that "(Chinese) authorities contacted hotels and other venues, demanding that relevant activities not be held," leading to the plan's disruption. Analysis suggests that after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's "Taiwan contingency" remarks in November last year, the Chinese Ministry of Education urged people to carefully consider studying in Japan, and this postponement may also reflect local authorities' cooperation with central policy, indicating that Japan-China relations remain severe. (Read full report)
On the 6th, the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee will invite Minister of National Defense Gu Li-hsiung to report on his duties and answer questions. According to the Ministry of National Defense's written report submitted to the Legislative Yuan, the Communist Party of China's joint exercises against Taiwan are becoming normalized, and the risk of "shifting from exercises to war" is increasing. In the 114th year of the Republic of China (2025), the total sorties of various main and auxiliary combat (including unmanned) aircraft of the Communist Party of China reached 3,760 (approximately 3,060 in 2024). The CCP's cognitive warfare and united front threats against Taiwan have shifted from single-point infiltration to systematic deployment. In addition to utilizing existing mechanisms, the Ministry of National Defense will monitor and counter these threats through dedicated units and strengthen cross-departmental linkages to collectively respond. It will also establish cooperation with allied countries in countering cognitive warfare narratives through international strategic communication to effectively reduce its impact on Taiwan. (Read full report)
San Shang Qiaogou, mainly operating the supermarket chain Simple Mart, acquired approximately 380 OK Mart convenience stores across Taiwan, with an annual revenue of NT$5 billion, sparking market discussion. What is the underlying calculation behind San Shang Qiaogou? General Manager Chiu Kuang-lung stated in an exclusive interview with Central News Agency that he is not looking to increase the number of stores or logistics, but rather the "breaking boundaries" role of OK Mart. While retail giants are still observing, San Shang Qiaogou took action in less than a year.
On the 4th, the Taiwan stock market opened high and rose throughout the day, surging by 1828.89 points at one point, reaching a high of 40755.52 points. It eventually closed at 40705.14 points, an increase of 1778.51 points, breaking the 40,000-point mark for the first time ever at close. Both the intraday and closing indices, as well as the point gain, set historical records. The transaction value was NT$1.006887 trillion. Leading stock TSMC climbed to NT$2285 during the session, up NT$150, marking its largest ever intraday gain. MediaTek surged to its daily limit, buoyed by news of foreign institutional price targets, boosting the performance of IC design concept stocks. (Read full report)
Global stock markets, including US, Japanese, and Taiwanese stocks, have recently reached new highs. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index (SSE) closed at 4112 points on the last trading day before the long holiday starting May 1st, maintaining a high point for the period, thanks to various market stabilization measures by authorities. However, it is still more than 2000 points lower than the SSE's historical peak in October 2007, a decline of about one-third. Since Xi Jinping took office as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in November 2012, the SSE Index experienced a frenzied surge from under 2000 points to 5178 points within a year, followed by a more than halving within half a year, and then an 8.5-year period of range-bound consolidation. Only after the CCP Central Committee introduced a series of market-saving measures in September 2024 did the SSE Index break free from consolidation and restart its bull run. In January this year, the SSE Index finally stabilized above the 4000-point threshold, and in March, it reached a period high of 4197 points, temporarily forming the third-ranked period high. (Read full report)
President Lai Ching-te's visit to Eswatini, a diplomatic ally in Africa, created a "Taiwan whirlwind" there. Eswatini citizens expressed their welcome to President Lai's long-distance visit to Central News Agency reporters on site and thanked Taiwan for its long-term assistance to Eswatini. Local overseas Chinese also stated that President Lai's arrival despite difficulties deeply touched many Eswatini people; the king specifically sent a special plane to pick up President Lai, showing the high regard for Taiwan. The US Department of State commented on this visit, saying that Taiwan is a trusted and capable partner for the US and many other countries; Taiwan's relations with countries worldwide bring significant benefits to their citizens, including Eswatini. The State Department also said that the Taiwanese President's visit to Eswatini is a routine visit and should not be politicized. (Read full report)
Rat infestation in Taipei streets has sparked public grievances. On the afternoon of the 4th, the Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection led a team to visit the Ministry of Environment. The Ministry of Environment put forward four recommendations, including adopting a dengue fever prevention model for division of labor, proactively publishing prevention progress and specific measures to the public, implementing a division of labor mechanism in public areas, and inviting experts to discuss and formulate scientific prevention strategies. Regarding public concerns about children and pets accidentally ingesting rat poison, the Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection stated that they will try to integrate and publish information on filling rat holes and applying pesticides to make it easier for the public to understand. Infectious disease doctors reminded that contact with rat excrement can lead to Hantavirus and Leptospirosis infection; if food packaging is bitten by rats, it must be discarded and not eaten. Public health experts say that rat control should primarily focus on environmental cleaning, supplemented by poison bait or traps. Professor Hsu Er-lieh, an emeritus professor of entomology at National Taiwan University and pest expert, pointed out that using bait indoors for rat control is not recommended to prevent parasites from spreading after rats die. In addition, a Dutch cruise ship recently reported a suspected Hantavirus outbreak, which has caused 3 deaths. (Read full report)
The Ministry of Labor announced the latest labor fund performance on the 4th. As of the end of March this year, the labor fund's revenue was NT$434.4 billion, with a return rate of 5.76%. However, the single-month revenue in March plummeted by NT$378.7 billion, setting a new historical record for the largest single-month loss. The Bureau of Labor Funds stated that in March, financial markets were affected by the US-Iran conflict, with global major stock markets fluctuating downwards and bond markets correcting simultaneously, leading to severe market volatility and affecting short-term fund returns. However, global financial indicators were strong in April, especially Taiwan's stock market performance, with a projected "no ceiling" for April returns. (Read full report)
US President Trump announced the launch of "Operation Freedom" to escort ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command subsequently stated in a press release that this mission would officially begin on the 4th. The US military will deploy missile destroyers, over 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, and approximately 15,000 military personnel; US officials emphasized that "Operation Freedom" is not a "convoy mission" in the traditional sense. In response, European diplomatic circles and shipowners believe that without military escort, a coordination mechanism alone is unlikely to significantly change the situation in the strait. Iran responded that it would view any US attempt to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. (Read full report)
Asahi Shimbun reported that a promotion event for studying in Japan, originally scheduled to be held in Shanghai and other cities in China in mid-April, was postponed at short notice before its opening. Multiple informed sources revealed that "(Chinese) authorities contacted hotels and other venues, demanding that relevant activities not be held," leading to the plan's disruption. Analysis suggests that after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's "Taiwan contingency" remarks in November last year, the Chinese Ministry of Education urged people to carefully consider studying in Japan, and this postponement may also reflect local authorities' cooperation with central policy, indicating that Japan-China relations remain severe. (Read full report)
On the 6th, the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee will invite Minister of National Defense Gu Li-hsiung to report on his duties and answer questions. According to the Ministry of National Defense's written report submitted to the Legislative Yuan, the Communist Party of China's joint exercises against Taiwan are becoming normalized, and the risk of "shifting from exercises to war" is increasing. In the 114th year of the Republic of China (2025), the total sorties of various main and auxiliary combat (including unmanned) aircraft of the Communist Party of China reached 3,760 (approximately 3,060 in 2024). The CCP's cognitive warfare and united front threats against Taiwan have shifted from single-point infiltration to systematic deployment. In addition to utilizing existing mechanisms, the Ministry of National Defense will monitor and counter these threats through dedicated units and strengthen cross-departmental linkages to collectively respond. It will also establish cooperation with allied countries in countering cognitive warfare narratives through international strategic communication to effectively reduce its impact on Taiwan. (Read full report)
San Shang Qiaogou, mainly operating the supermarket chain Simple Mart, acquired approximately 380 OK Mart convenience stores across Taiwan, with an annual revenue of NT$5 billion, sparking market discussion. What is the underlying calculation behind San Shang Qiaogou? General Manager Chiu Kuang-lung stated in an exclusive interview with Central News Agency that he is not looking to increase the number of stores or logistics, but rather the "breaking boundaries" role of OK Mart. While retail giants are still observing, San Shang Qiaogou took action in less than a year.