Taiwan Stock Market Falls Below 40,000 Points; Finance Minister Chuang Reveals Key Conditions for National Stabilization Fund Intervention

Taiwan's stock market has experienced severe volatility recently. Following a historic plunge of over 2,000 points in the previous trading session, the benchmark index dropped another 1,700 points in early trading on April 29, breaking below the psychological 40,000-point level and heightening market anxiety. The potential intervention of the National Stabilization Fund has become a focal point.

Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun stated during a legislative session that Taiwan's real economy remains robust with solid fundamentals. The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics forecasts this year's economic growth at 9.64%, with some domestic and international think tanks predicting it could exceed 10%. Strong export and order data, along with a 'red light' on the business climate indicator, support market stability, she emphasized.

The market opened weak today, dragged down by a slump in semiconductor stocks. By 11 a.m., the index briefly fell below 40,000 points. Kuomintang legislator Lin Te-fu questioned whether the National Stabilization Fund should step in after yesterday's 2,000-point crash.

Chuang responded that the fund cannot intervene merely due to market declines. Intervention must meet statutory conditions and be decided through a committee meeting. Currently, the fund's secretariat is closely monitoring global developments, Taiwan's stock performance, and the effectiveness of financial stability measures introduced by the Financial Supervisory Commission.

On the previous trading day, the Taiwan Weighted Index closed down 2,030.83 points—the third-largest single-day drop in history. Although the market briefly turned positive today, lifted by electronics, financial, and traditional industry stocks, renewed selling pressure pushed it back into negative territory.

Chuang reiterated that the government is currently observing international trends, market movements, and the impact of stabilization policies. Should future conditions meet the criteria set by the National Stabilization Fund Act, a committee decision will determine whether intervention proceeds.