Taipei: Shares in Taiwan closed lower Monday amid tensions in the Middle East as the military conflict between Israel and Iran entered its fourth day, dealers said. The Taiex, the Taiwan Stock Exchange's benchmark weighted index, ended down 23.05 points, or 0.10 percent, at 22,049.90 after moving between 21,936.38 and 22,094.60. Turnover totaled NT$288.46 billion (US$9.78 billion). According to Focus Taiwan, geopolitical unease continued to dictate global markets. However, Asian markets already reflected worries over tensions in the Middle East on Friday, and they appeared resilient today, including in Taiwan. MasterLink Securities analyst Tom Tang noted that as the Taiex moved closer to the nearest technical support ahead of the 22,000 point mark, bargain hunters turned active. TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) played a significant role in recouping most of the losses. TSMC fell 0.49 percent to close at NT$1,025.00, off a low of NT$1,015.00, allowing the Taiex to recoup about 80 points. The elec tronics index hit a low of 1,206.83 before ending down only 0.17 percent at 1,215.61. In the booming era of artificial intelligence development, Tang expressed optimism that TSMC is likely to continue to move above its 10-day moving average of NT$1,011.00 as U.S.-based AI chip designer Nvidia Corp. stays resilient. Among other semiconductor stocks, IC packaging and testing services provider ASE Technology Holding Co. gained 1.05 percent to close at NT$145.00, and smartphone IC designer MediaTek Inc. rose 0.40 percent to end at NT$1,255.00. Tang highlighted that the Israel-Iran conflict, which began on June 13 when Israel attacked the heart of Iran's nuclear and military structure, impacted the market as petrochemical stocks rose after international crude oil prices surged. The petrochemical index increased by 1.78 percent, with Formosa Plastics Corp. rising 2.04 percent to close at NT$37.50 and Nan Ya Plastics Corp. gaining 2.89 percent to end at NT$30.25. Textile stocks, sensitive to crude oil prices, also saw gains. Far Eastern New Century Corp. rose 0.60 percent to close at NT$33.30, and Eclat Textile Co. gained 2.53 percent to end at NT$425.50. Amid rising worries over oil supplies under geopolitical unease, renewable energy stocks attracted rotational buying. Shinfox Energy Co. rose 2.76 percent to close at NT$85.60, and J and V Energy Technology Co. added 0.29 percent to end at NT$170.00. In the old economy sector, food brand Uni-President Enterprises Corp. lost 0.38 percent to close at NT$79.40, and rival Wei Chuan Foods Corp. ended down 0.63 percent at NT$15.80. The financial sector, which lost 0.19 percent, saw declines with Fubon Financial Holding Co. falling 0.58 percent to close at NT$86.00, and Cathay Financial Holding Co. shedding 2.46 percent to end at NT$67.30. Tang predicted a narrow trading range on the Taiex on thin turnover in the short term as many investors prefer to wait on the sidelines before the 90-day pause on the Trump administration's 'reciprocal' tariffs expires in early July. Ac cording to the Taiwan Stock Exchange, foreign institutional investors sold a net NT$2.09 billion in shares on the market Monday.