Taiwan stocks were flat on Wednesday as a stronger local dollar hurt big technology exporters,while investors bought financial shares on expectations of an interest rate hike on Thursday. Taiwan's main TAIEX share index closed down 0.05 per cent,or 4.41 points,at 8,866.35. Shares of top contract chipmaker TSMC dropped 0.42 per cent and the heavily weighted electronics sub-index fell 1.1 per cent. The computer & peripheral sub-index fell 0.96 per cent and the semiconductor sector slid 0.94 per cent. On the bright side,financials jumped 3.6 per cent ahead of the central bank's quarterly board meeting on Thursday. Most economists expect Taiwan's central bank to raise the discount rate by 12.5 basis points,as the central bank will be looking at the possibility of higher inflation and asset prices next year as economic growth continues apace. The auto sector rose 1.3 per cent and the transport sector gained 2.6 per cent. Yulon Motor shares rose 2.2 per cent after a report that good car sales figures for this month.
