A TAIWAN STOCKBROKER IS IDLE DURING POST-QUAKE TRADE FREEZE, 1999-09-27 (photo)

A Taiwan stockbroker appears to doze at his desk September 27 as stock trading grinds to a halt in the first session since last week's mammoth earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people and shut down the island's industrial production. Because the finance ministry limited downward price movements to 3.5 percent a day, a flood of stock sell orders found no buyers, prompting turnover to shrivel to just T$10.5 billion (US$330 million) - less than one-tenth of typical levels. Prices were expected to fall further in coming sessions, but brokers said Taiwan's powerful industrial infrastructure was not badly damaged by the earthquake and that a major stock fall was unwarranted. On Monday, the index fell 212.21 points or 2.66 percent to end at 7,759.93. JKP/PB