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The Tai-Ex opened up 12-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 16,872 on turnover of 6.6-billion N-T.
The market closed marginally higher (微漲) on Monday following a strong end on Wall Street last week.
However, most other Asian markets lost ground on the back of investor concern over a recent surge (大增) in coronavirus cases in some areas.
The Central Epidemic Command Center has expanded eligibility (合格) for the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccination -- opening it to an additional 125,000 people.
Those now eligible for shots include members of the central and local governments, those working at hospital facilities who did not qualify under the first two priority groups (優先接種團體) and airline crew member who fly international routes.
Health officials say the expanded program means that over 613,000 people are now able to be vaccinated.
City and county government heads are included in the new list.
Keelung Mayor Lin You-chang, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi, Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan, and Taichung Mayor Lu Xiu-yan all received their first doses on Monday, when the expanded eligibility program was launched.
The Water Resources Agency is working with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology on a new version of its ground-based rainmaking flares (人工增雨焰劑).
However, the agency says the new system may not be ready in time to help with the current drought.
According to water agency Deputy Director-General Wang Yi-feng, initial testing of the new device is expected to be carried out by the end of the year.
In internatonal news,
Ukraine's foreign minister is due to visit NATO headquarters today amid major troop movements (大批軍隊移動) in Ukraine and Russia.
Stuart Smith reports from Brussels.
Iran is blaming Israel for a cyberattack on its underground Natanz nuclear facility that damaged its centrifuges (離心機).
There is concern the attack could stymie (妨礙) ongoing talks over Tehran's tattered (支離破碎的) nuclear deal.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
However, Israeli media is widely reporting that the country orchestrated (精心策畫) a devastating cyberattack that caused a blackout (大停電) at the nuclear facility.
The United Nations says the world's failure to unite on tackling the coronavirus pandemic has created wide inequalities (不公平).
And Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling for urgent action including a wealth tax to help finance the global recovery from the coronavirus.
According to the U-N chief, latest reports indicate "there has been a 5-trillion U-S dollar surge (大增) in the wealth of the world's richest in the past year."
And he's urging governments "to consider a solidarity or wealth tax on those who have profited during the pandemic, to reduce extreme inequalities (降低極度的不平等)."