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The Tai-Ex opened up 39-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,366 on turnover of 5.6-billion N-T.
The market began the Year of the Ox by moving sharply higher on Wednesday to close at a new high as it tried to catch up with the strong gains (獲得，得到；收益，獲利) seen in U-S markets over the holiday break.
The upturn was led by the bellwether electronics sector as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing continued to move higher after a nearly 10-per cent rise in its American depositary receipts during the Lunar New Year holiday period.
Wednesday's increase in the Tai-Ex was the second highest single day rise in the market's history.
The Cabinet has approved over 10-billion N-T in funding to assist the local pork industry.
The move comes amid concerns by local pig farmers about the government's decision to allow imports of U-S pork containing the ractopamine.
And the plan includes provisions to develop a cold chain logistics system, increase cold storage capacity and help slaughterhouses come into compliance (遵守；依從) with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points - an internationally used food management system.
The Council of Agriculture is expected to detail an eight-point plan to upgrade and transform the domestic pork sector over the next four years at press conference later today.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is welcoming the election of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new head of the World Trade Organization and says Taiwan will seek to work with her to strengthen the international trade system.
According to ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou, Taiwan has long been a supporter of free trade and a rules-based system, and will work with Okonjo-Iweala to strengthen such a multilateral (多國（或多方）參加的，多國（或多方）間的) trade system.
Ou says Okonjo-Iweala held two virtual meetings with representatives from Taiwan during her election campaign and both sides exchanged views on the future path of the W-T-O, members' rights and the welfare and balancing of major economies' influences.
US President Joe Biden has spoken to Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time since taking office, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office.
Our Washington correspondent Giles Gibson has more.
Canada's largest city is asking the Ontario provincial government to extend a lockdown order to at least March 9.
Restrictions placed on Toronto by Ontario's government are currently scheduled to be removed on Feb 22.
Toronto's medical officer of health says she has written the province's top health official to request the lockdown last at least two weeks longer.
She said there are 345 confirmed variant cases in Toronto and said the city is facing exponential (（增長率）越來越快的，呈指數階（增長）的) growth.
Schools just reopened in Toronto this week and retail stores are scheduled to reopen Feb. 22.
Senegal is to receive 200,000 doses of the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine Sinopharm.
President Macky Sall will preside (主持) over a ceremony to mark the arrival of the vaccines, which the nation purchased for about $3.8 million.
Since the start of the pandemic, Senegal has recorded more than 31,000 cases, including 760 deaths, and contaminations have increased in the past few months.
Senegal's vaccination campaign is expected to begin at the end of February.
The country is also expecting nearly 1.3 million vaccine doses under the COVAX initiative.