The nation's GDP growth was 5.7 percent last year, beating initial forecasts of 5.46 percent growth on robust exports. But it will likely slow down owing to global stagnation, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said yesterday.
"The stellar increase in external demand was the main reason behind the higher-than-expected [6.39 percent] growth in the fourth quarter and the whole year," Director-General Hsu Jan-yau (
"Yet the impact of the US subprime crisis on the global economy is damping growth in most countries, including Taiwan," Hsu said.
Hsu forecast moderate economic growth of 4.32 percent for this year, down from the 4.53 percent predicted in November.
"Fortunately, the impact is likely to be relatively small, as the structure of our exports changed significantly last year," Hsu said.
Exports to ASEAN countries were up 41 percent last year, while demand from the Middle East and India also saw significant increases, Hsu said. Total exports to ASEAN countries plus Vietnam, India and the Middle East accounted for 17.7 percent of total exports last year, surpassing exports to the US at 13 percent and Europe at 10.8 percent.
In addition, the US$15.3 billion (US$483 million) net inflow last year from the triangle trade -- a common practice among China-based Taiwanese businesses that are operating via Hong Kong -- is expected to continue bolstering exports, Hsu said.
Domestic demand, however, was weak as private investments shrank 2.4 percent and private consumption rose by just 2.15 percent.
Chinatrust Commercial Bank (
"Whether domestic consumption and investment can pick up after the presidential election or in the second half of this year will be key factors in this year's economic performance," Liao said.
An anticipated record-high NT$960 billion in cash dividends to be issued this year could be a shot in the arm for private consumption, Hsu said, adding that consumer confidence would likely recover as the fallout from the credit-card and cash-card default crisis subsides this year.
Listed companies, meanwhile, issued NT$860 billion in cash dividends last year, contributing to a higher-than-expected increase in stock market turnover and government tax revenues, Hsu said.
In addition, the government said inflation would increase by 1.98 percent, up from last year's 1.8 percent, as fuel and food prices remain high.
Real estate agent and property developer JSL Construction & Development Co (愛山林) led the average compensation rankings among companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) last year, while contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) finished 14th. JSL Construction paid its employees total average compensation of NT$4.78 million (US$159,701), down 13.5 percent from a year earlier, but still ahead of the most profitable listed tech giants, including TSMC, TWSE data showed. Last year, the average compensation (which includes salary, overtime, bonuses and allowances) paid by TSMC rose 21.6 percent to reach about NT$3.33 million, lifting its ranking by 10 notches
Popular vape brands such as Geek Bar might get more expensive in the US — if you can find them at all. Shipments of vapes from China to the US ground to a near halt last month from a year ago, official data showed, hit by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and a crackdown on unauthorized e-cigarettes in the world’s biggest market for smoking alternatives. That includes Geek Bar, a brand of flavored vapes that is not authorized to sell in the US, but which had been widely available due to porous import controls. One retailer, who asked not to be named, because
SEASONAL WEAKNESS: The combined revenue of the top 10 foundries fell 5.4%, but rush orders and China’s subsidies partially offset slowing demand Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) further solidified its dominance in the global wafer foundry business in the first quarter of this year, remaining far ahead of its closest rival, Samsung Electronics Co, TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said yesterday. TSMC posted US$25.52 billion in sales in the January-to-March period, down 5 percent from the previous quarter, but its market share rose from 67.1 percent the previous quarter to 67.6 percent, TrendForce said in a report. While smartphone-related wafer shipments declined in the first quarter due to seasonal factors, solid demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) devices and urgent TV-related orders
MINERAL DIPLOMACY: The Chinese commerce ministry said it approved applications for the export of rare earths in a move that could help ease US-China trade tensions Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰) is today to meet a US delegation for talks in the UK, Beijing announced on Saturday amid a fragile truce in the trade dispute between the two powers. He is to visit the UK from yesterday to Friday at the invitation of the British government, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. He and US representatives are to cochair the first meeting of the US-China economic and trade consultation mechanism, it said. US President Donald Trump on Friday announced that a new round of trade talks with China would start in London beginning today,
RSS