■ Nation's economy slows
The nation's economy showed signs of slowing last month, with the index of leading indicators down 0.8 percent from September, when it rose 0.4 percent, the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) said yesterday.
The total score of monitored indicators for October was 23 points, unchanged from the preceding month and equivalent to a "green light" or steady growth for a third consecutive month, the CEPD said.
The CEPD uses a five-level spectrum to gauge domestic economic health, with blue indicating recession, yellow-blue a slowdown, green steady growth, yellow-red a slight overheating and red an absolute overheating.
Last months's index of coincident indicators, which measures the current pace of economic activity, rose 0.8 percent from September.
■ Tariff-free treatment offered
Taiwan may offer tariff-free treatment for imports of 141 categories of products from the 50 "least developed countries" around the world, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Myan-mar. The Legislative Yuan Finance Committee yesterday preliminarily approved the tariff-free plan which was submitted by the Executive Yuan in March this year.
■ NT dollar slips
The New Taiwan dollar lost against the US dollar on the Taipei Foreign Exchange yesterday, declining NT$0.048 to close at NT$33.598.
A total of US$596 million changed hands during the day's trading.
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