Export orders rose 26.61 percent last month to a record US$19.5 billion from a year ago as the nation sold more electronic goods and mobile phones, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.
The pace in the growth of orders, indicative of shipments over one to three months, accelerated from a 26 percent increase in August.
The previous record was set in July, when orders reached US$18.54 billion.
For the first nine months, export orders totaled US$155.29 billion, up 26.26 percent from a year earlier, the ministry said.
Industrial output last month expanded 8.12 percent, a slowdown compared to a revised 8.62 percent increase in August, the ministry added.
Growth in export orders may remain high in the fourth quarter because of demand for electronic goods and telecommunications products, said Chang Yaw-tzong (張耀聰), the ministry's top statistician.
July through October is typically the best period of the year for electronics parts makers because Western companies usually stock up ahead of Christmas and back-to-school sales.
Chang said export orders probably reached their high for the year last month.
"The chances are not high that October's export orders will exceed September's, because export orders usually reach the highest level in September," Chang said.
Orders from the US, the world's largest economy, rose 29 percent to US$5.64 billion last month. The US is Taiwan's biggest export market after China.
Orders from Hong Kong rose 24 percent last month to US$4.32 billion, the ministry said.
Orders from Europe increased 29 percent to US$3.18 billion, and sales to Japan gained 17.6 percent to US$1.99 billion.
Overseas orders for electronic goods rose 32.73 percent to US$4.42 billion and those for telecommunications equipment increased 15.05 percent to US$3.82 billion.
Still, Taiwan's pace of export growth may not be sustained, according to the government, which last month cited oil prices and US interest rate increases.
"High oil prices and further interest rate increases may drag the global economy's pace of growth," Chang said. "Growth in industrial production in the fourth quarter will slow from the third quarter."
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