Taiwan stocks rose 0.2 percent in early trade on Friday, but smartphone maker HTC fell 1.6 percent after it reported a decline in November sales. The benchmark TAIEX index gained 16.99 points to 7,640.25. It fell 0.3 percent in the prior session. The construction and transportation sub-indexes were among the best performing sectors, both up 0.7 percent. The Taiwan dollar climbed slightly to stand at T$29.074.

Copyright Reuters, 2012