Shares in Taiwan extended their losses on Friday amid escalating geopolitical tensions after U.S. President Barack Obama authorized air strikes in northern Iraq.
The move Thursday by Economics Minister Chang Chia-juch to tender his resignation over the humiliation hurled at the ministry for its alleged role in a series of deadly explosions in Kaohsiung late last week also hurt investor sentiment.
The weighted index on the Taiwan Stock Exchange closed down 45.48 points, or 0.49%, at 9,085.96.