The nation’s publicly listed firms raised NT$468.9 billion (US$16.73 billion) in fresh capital in the first half of the year, up 9.53 percent from last year, as companies moved to expand production capability, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) said on Tuesday.
Forty-two percent, or NT$196 billion, was raised by electronic component makers, 16 percent by infrastructure-related firms such as Taiwan Power Co (台電) and 13 percent by shipping firms such as Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp (陽明海運), the commission said.
Firms are to use half of the capital, or NT$199.3 billion, to pay down debts, down 12 percent from last year, Securities and Futures Bureau Deputy Director Kuo Chia-chun (郭佳君) told a videoconference.
Firms plan to spend about 37 percent, or NT$148.1 billion, to improve production lines, up 21 percent from NT$121.6 billion last year and a new record, Kuo said.
“Most firms planning to use the raised capital to expand capacity are in the electronic component sector,” Kuo said.
Eighty-four percent, or NT$397.4 billion, was raised domestically, up 4 percent from last year, while 15 percent came from overseas, up 54 percent, FSC data showed.
In the first six months, firms raised NT$22.91 billion through private placement, up 35 percent from last year, while BankTaiwan Life Insurance Co Ltd (臺銀人壽) raised NT$11 billion in March, Kuo said.
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