The Tai-Ex opened up 42-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 24,113

on turnover of $3.4-billion N-T.

Shares in Taiwan closed lower Monday but bounced off early losses to hold

above the 24,000-point mark, as late-session bargain hunting in Taiwan

Semiconductor Manufacturing helped the broader market recover.

Selling was heavier in AI hardware developers, but financial heavyweights

outperformed the broader market, with the sector index up 0.94-percent.

The Taipei District Court is questioning former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-zhe and

others connected with the Core Pacific City case today.

Ko and former deputy mayor Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲) appeared in court today,

with Peng questioned as a witness by prosecutors and defense lawyers.

Prosecutors have accused Ko and nearly a dozen others of corruption and

embezzelement, seeking a 28-and-a-half year sentence for Ko.

Ko's lawyers have accused prosecutors of using "improper questioning" against

Peng, and of pressuring him to testify against Ko.

(NS)

Newly-appointed National Development Council Minister Yeh Chun-hsien says he

will actively work to advance Taiwan's industrial innovation, and highlighted

artificial intelligence as key to the country's new economy.

Yeh, a research fellow at Academia Sinica's Institute of Economics,

officially took over from Liu Chin-ching, who resigned (辭職) for health

reasons.

The new NDC chief said he will focus on the overall goals of the National

Development Plan which prioritizes an innovation-driven economy, balanced

development across Taiwan, improved governance, and talent investment.

He says the NDC will also continue to promote the government's Five Trusted

Industry Sectors, that's semiconductors, AI, military, security and

surveillance, and next-generation communications.

Without elaborating, Yeh said he plans 10 new AI infrastructure initiatives

as the latter is central to Taiwan's new economy, and the NDC will continue

to promote its NT$10 billion fund to support industrial transformation.

From the US…

Preliminary (初步的) data suggests that 1.2 million immigrants are gone from

the US labor force under Donald Trump's presidency.

AP's Lisa Dwyer reports

New Zealand is to ease a ban on foreigners buying homes to allow wealthy

investors access to its housing market and boost the economy.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Monday that some wealthy overseas

business investors can now purchase a single high-value home.

The move partially reverses a ban imposed by (推行) the previous government

in 2018 to cool the housing market.

The adjustment applies only to a small number of wealthy foreigners who hold

a residency visa reintroduced in April for those investing millions of

dollars in local businesses.

Critics argue the policy prioritizes (優先考慮) wealthy foreigners over local

needs.

That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____.

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