The Taiwan Stock Exchange’s (TWSE) profit last year was a record NT$13.53 billion (US$410.75 million), TWSE chairman Sherman Lin (林修銘) told a news conference in Taipei yesterday, adding that it aims to attract more listings and deepen financial inclusion this year.
The results translate into earnings per share of NT$10.5 and the corporation plans to distribute a NT$6 per share cash dividend this year.
“We’re seeking to add 65 new listings this year from domestic and foreign firms, a doable goal, as the local capital market is gaining importance and popularity,” Lin said.
Photo: CNA
The TAIEX last year closed up 28.47 percent from a year earlier, the second-best performer globally after the tech-heavy NASDAQ, Lin said, adding that Taiwan’s main board has become an international “first tier” arena that generates hefty profits for investors.
The TAIEX’s performance was despite mounting uncertainty around the world, Lin said.
The showing has much to do with an unabated artificial intelligence craze, which has benefited local firms in global supply chains, he said.
Photo: CNA
Market capitalization surged to NT$74 trillion, making the TWSE the world’s 12th-largest exchange, from 17th a year earlier, while trade volume climbed to 10th from 19th, he said.
“We aim to bolster market capitalization to crack the world’s top 10 this year,” he said.
Average daily turnover reached a new high of NT$421.4 billion, propelling annual trading volume to NT$100 trillion, more than three times what it was 10 years ago, Lin said.
At the same time, the exchange’s price-to-earnings ratio rose to 20-fold from 15-fold a year earlier, while its price-to-book ratio was 2.49-fold, up from 1.74-fold at the end of 2023, TWSE data showed.
All gauges reflected the net increase in local shares as investors at home and abroad boosted their holdings on the expectation of profit growth, Lin said.
The TWSE would reach out to firms in Southeast Asia to take advantage of the region’s rapid economic growth and business potential, he said, adding that the company would work with global partners and join major investment events to boost the exchange’s image.
The local stock exchange took pride in the fast growth in exchange-traded funds, as the trend indicates that a rising number of retail investors are trading on the exchange, Lin said.
The number of securities accounts was 13.22 million at the end of last month, more than doubling from a decade earlier as efforts to deepen financial inclusion made substantial headway, he said.
The TWSE would continue to advance financial inclusion by giving individual investors and businesses access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs, he added.
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