TWD defies poll woes

"The elections are a temporary shock that will dissipate and be resolved soon," said Arthur Woo, HSBC economist in Hong Kong. "The election has had a negative impact. But the key driver for the economy is cyclical forces."

Incumbent President Chen Shui-bian won the March 20 elections by a tiny margin, prompting calls for a recount. Chen is seen as anti-Beijing, and had he won a significant majority, said Chia Woon Khien, senior market strategist at DBS Bank in Singapore, it could have