Foreign Investors Withdraw $5.7 Billion, Sell 12,000 Lots of TSMC, Shift to Three Active ETFs

On April 4, Taiwan's stock market ended down 25.75 points, or 0.06%, holding above the 43,000 level, though it failed to reclaim the monthly moving average. Trading volume reached TWD 1.04 trillion.

Foreign investors withdrew TWD 5.732 billion today, selling 12,000 lots of TSMC. However, they simultaneously increased positions in three active ETFs: 00991A (Fu-Hua Future 50), 00403A (Uni-President Upgrade 50), and 00981A (Uni-President Taiwan Equity Growth).

Analyzing the trading activities of the three major institutional investors today, foreign investors sold TWD 5.732 billion, marking their second consecutive day of net selling. Domestic proprietary traders also reduced holdings, selling TWD 1.9429 billion for the eighth consecutive day. Conversely, investment trusts continued to buy, increasing positions by TWD 2.527 billion, marking their 30th consecutive day of net buying. The combined net position of the three major institutions was a slight surplus of TWD 109 million.

Despite overall selling, foreign investors heavily invested in three active ETFs, buying 46,000 lots of 00991A (Fu-Hua Future 50), 40,000 lots of 00403A (Uni-President Upgrade 50), and 27,000 lots of 00981A (Uni-President Taiwan Equity Growth). They also bought 91,000 lots of 00632R (Yuan-Da Taiwan 50 Inverse).

In individual stocks, foreign investors bought 28,000 lots of Lite-On Technology, 24,000 lots of Nanya Technology, 18,000 lots of Wistron, 17,000 lots of Uni-President, 13,000 lots of Compal Electronics, 13,000 lots of Taishin & Shin Kong Financial, 12,000 lots of Capital Financial Holdings, 11,000 lots of D-Link, 11,000 lots of EVA Airways, and 10,000 lots of AU Optronics.

On the selling side, foreign investors reduced positions in Changhua Commercial Bank by 37,000 lots, Taiwan Business Bank by 30,000 lots, Taichung Bank by 29,000 lots, Far Eastern New Century by 25,000 lots, First Financial Holding by 20,000 lots, Pou Chen Corporation by 17,000 lots, ASE by 13,000 lots, TSMC by 12,000 lots, Mega Financial Holding by 12,000 lots, and Taiwan Cement by 12,000 lots.

Investment trusts favored financial stocks, with seven of the top ten bought stocks being financials. They increased positions in Hua Nan Financial by 7,874 lots, Yuanta Financial by 5,408 lots, Fubon Financial by 4,923 lots, Cathay Financial by 4,545 lots, Mega Financial by 4,231 lots, Taiwan Business Bank by 3,306 lots, and Changhua Commercial Bank by 3,052 lots. Other stocks bought included Walsin Technology (6,661 lots), Unimicron (5,936 lots), and Wistron (5,573 lots).

On the selling side, investment trusts sold 6,380 lots of UMC, 3,573 lots of Dah Cheng Steel, 2,552 lots of Chroma ATE, and also reduced holdings in Capital Financial, Taishin & Shin Kong Financial, EVA Airways, Asia Cement, Far Eastern New Century, Taiwan High Speed Rail, and Delta Electronics.