The Tai-Ex opened up 19-points this morning from Friday's close, at 21,278 on

turnover of 5.5-billion N-T.

The market closed slightly lower on Friday as selling focused on the

bellwether electronics sector following losses by tech stocks on Wall Street

overnight on the back of profit taking.

Buying rotated to (輪換) the non-tech sector, with large cap financial stocks

were in focus as government-led funds are believed to have picked up these

stocks to stabilize the main board ahead of today's presidential inauguration

President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim have been sworn-in

to their new leadership roles at an ceremony at the President Building in

Taipei.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at 9:15.

Lai and Hsiao have also met with foreign dignitaries and the vice president

is currently presiding over the handover ceremony of the new

secretary-generals of the National Security Council and the Presidential

Office.

Lai is slated to give his inaugural address at in the coming hour - which

takes the theme of "Building a Democratic, Peaceful and Prosperous Taiwan."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says 508 guests from 51 delegations are

attending today's inauguration ceremony and other related events.

According to the ministry, eight of the delegations are being led by heads of

state.

European countries that have sent delegations include the U-K, France,

Germany, Italy, Lithuania and Ukraine as well as the European Parliament.

Several American delegations are attending today's events.

They include one by led American Institute in Taiwan chair Laura Rosenberger;

one comprising (包括) of former U-S deputy secretary of state Richard

Armitage and former assistant to the U-S president and director of the

National Economic Council Brian Deese ..

.. and a delegation led by former U-S secretary of state Mike Pompeo.

Meanwhile,

The state banquet for the presidential inauguration wil be taking place at

the Formosa Yacht Resort in Tainan this evening.

Organizers say it will feature eight dishes prepared by 70 chefs and focus on

showcasing Taiwan's culinary expertise (專業知識) and heritage.

The eight courses incorporate ingredients from all 22 cities and counties in

Taiwan and were inspired by the country's five major ethnic groups - the

Minnan, Hakka, Han, Indigenous, and new immigrant.

It is the first time the inauguration banquet will be held outside of Taipei.

Two are dead and 5 remain missing after a boat collision (碰撞) on the Danube

River in Hungary

AP correspondent Karen Chammas

French prosecutors say armed robbers who used a motorbike as a battering ram

(破門錘) made off with “several million" dollars' worth of valuables in a

heist of the luxury Paris boutique of Harry Winston.

Having refused Saturday to confirm that Harry Winston was the target, the

Paris prosecutor’s office did so on Sunday.

It said the store on the Avenue Montaigne was robbed by a gang of at least

three people.

It said they “forced entry to the jewelry store using a two-wheeler" and

stole jewelry from several windows, while one of them kept watch with a

long-barreled firearm.

Officials say the damage is under assessment (評估), and estimated to be

several million euros.

That was the I.C.R.T. news,

Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded

every day in the afternoon.

Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

--

Hosting provided by SoundOn