TAIWAN today’s newspapers.

- Fubon financial Holding posted net profit of NT$10.694 billion in the first half, a rise of 72.1 per cent from the same period last year, the financial company reported yesterday at its investors’ conference.

- Taipei City’s average home price doubled over the past seven years, reported real estate portal Giga House yesterday.

- As Chinese Valentine’s Day approaches, the wholesale price of roses has climbed from NT$250 to NT$500 per 20-flower bunch, up to 20 per cent higher than at non-holiday times, an official of the Taipei Flowers Auction Co. said.

- SinoPac Securities yesterday signed a strategic alliance agreement with ICBC International Holdings, a subsidiary of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

- Nearly 14,000 license plates were given out to new vehicles during the first ten days of August, indicating a robustness of the island’s auto industry, the Financial Times reported yesterday.

- United Envirotech Ltd., a water treatment firm from Singapore, is seeking to issue Taiwan depository receipts (TDR) to raise funds on the main board, the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) said Thursday.

TAIPEI TIMES:

- Simplo Technology Co, the worlds largest maker of notebook battery packs, said yesterday that profits would slow in the current quarter as double-digit growth in shipments fails to offset the impact of lower prices.

- Young Fast Optoelectronics Co, the nations biggest touch-screen module maker, yesterday posted record high quarterly net profits for the April-to-June period, on growing customer demand for new products.

- BNP Paribas Assurance TCB life insurance Co said yesterday that it reported premium income of NT$20 billion (US$625.2 million) in its first four months in business, as it strives to become one of the nations top five bancassurance companies.

- Fubon Financial Holding Co posted a net profit of NT$15.2 billion (US$475.15 million) for the first seven months, or NT$1.87 earnings per share, making it the most profitable financial services provider in Taiwan.

- HTC Corp, the worlds biggest maker of mobile phones using the Android operating system, seized the eighth spot among the worlds mobile phone makers in the second quarter after increasing its shipments by 139 per cent year-on-year, according to Gartner Incs latest report.

- State-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, ??) said yesterday it had sold NT$11.85 billion (US$370 million) in secured guaranteed corporate bonds in an auction and planned to use the proceeds to finance future development.