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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.