Taiwan March export orders seen dropping for 5th straight month

TAIPEI: Taiwan's export orders likely declined for a fifth month in March but at a slower pace than in the previous month, a Reuters poll showed, as a prolonged downturn in global tech demand hurts manufacturers in the trade-reliant economy.

The median forecast from the poll of 14 economists was for March export orders to drop 5.45 percent from a year earlier. Forecasts ranged from a decline of 10.3 percent to growth of 3.5 percent.

In February, Taiwan's export orders fell 10.9 percent, the most in nearly three years due to cautious machinery orders from China as the United States-China trade dispute wears on, pointing to a further slowdown for the island's economy.

Taiwan export orders are an indicator of demand for Asia's hi-tech gadgets, and typically lead actual exports by two to three months.