Taiwan’s stock and currency markets weakened together on Wednesday, September 3, as foreign capital outflows pressured the Taiwan dollar and intensified late-session equity selling. The currency opened at NT$31.75, rose to an early high of NT$31.70, then reversed and fell to an intraday low of NT$31.827 before intervention by Taiwan’s Central Bank helped it close at NT$31.755, down 2.7 cents and marking a second consecutive loss. Combined turnover in the Taipei and Yuan Tai foreign-exchange markets declined to $2.731 billion, or approximately NT$87 billion, from $3.748 billion, or approximately NT$120 billion, on September 2. The weighted stock index dropped 307 points to 45,857.66, losing the 46,000-point level. The three major institutional investors recorded combined net sales of NT$63.711 billion, including NT$48.146 billion sold by foreign investors and mainland Chinese capital. U.S.-Iran tensions supported safe-haven demand for the U.S. dollar, while selling in stocks fed directly into currency-market pressure. The Taiwan dollar was the only major Asian currency to weaken against the U.S. dollar, compared with gains of 1.62% for the yen, 0.66% for the won, 0.33% for the Singapore dollar and 0.06% for the Chinese yuan. Forex analysts expect the currency to trade between NT$31.7 and NT$31.8 in the near term, with foreign positioning, exporters’ dollar sales above NT$31.7 and central-bank intervention among the key factors. Attention is turning to the U.S. Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan meetings in mid-September, alongside Middle East geopolitical risks and a global bond-market sell-off.