Taiwan’s export orders seen contracting at faster pace in November: poll

TAIWAN’S export orders likely contracted again in November, a Reuters poll showed on Monday (Nov 19), as global demand for the island’s technology-related goods cools and at a faster clip than the previous month.

The median forecast from a poll of 18 economists was for export orders to fall 11.2 per cent from a year earlier. Forecasts ranged for a contraction of between 6.26 per cent and 20 per cent.

Taiwan’s export orders, a bellwether of global technology demand, fell 6.3 per cent in October, dropping more severely than expected on weak consumer demand hit by inflation and aggressive interest rate hikes.

The government has predicted November’s export orders to be between 14.5 per cent and 17.6 per cent, lower than those seen in the year-ago period.

Taiwan’s export orders are a leading indicator of demand for hi-tech gadgets and Asian exports, and typically lead actual exports by two to three months.

The island’s manufacturers, including the world’s largest contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, are a key part of the global supply chain for technology giants including Apple.

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The data for November will be released on Tuesday. REUTERS