Taiwan's share prices finished slightly lower Thursday, with the weighted index, the market's key barometer, moving down 9.64 points to close at 4,413.45, according to news reaching here from Taipei.

The local bourse opened higher at 4,430.1 and fluctuated between 4,434.43 and 4,385.78. A total of 2.21 billion shares changed hands on market turnover of 29.49 billion new Taiwan dollars (894.72 million U.S. dollars).

Four of the eight major stock categories gained ground, with construction issues moving up the most at 1.06 percent. Foodstuff issues gained 1.02 percent, paper and pulp issues increased 0.69 percent, and textile stocks advanced 0.32 percent.

The four other major stock categories lost ground, with cement stocks moving down the most at 1.06 percent. Plastics and chemicals shares were down 0.54 percent, banking and financial shares declined 0.3 percent, and machinery and electronics shares dropped 0.22 percent.

Losers outnumbered gainers 700 to 692, with 334 stocks remaining unchanged.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2008)