Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) Export orders received by companies based in Taiwan in September rose more than 4 percent from a year earlier on continued global demand for high-tech gadgets, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said Monday.
Taiwan's export orders totaled US$47.86 billion in September, up 4.2 percent from a year earlier, marking the third consecutive month and 24th in 26 months showing year-on-year growth.
The last time export orders fell was an unexpected 0.1 percent decline in June because of a drop in communication device orders and a relatively high base of comparison for the same month last year.
On a month-on-month basis, Taiwan's export orders rose 9.6 percent in September, but that increase was cut to 0.7 percent after factoring in seasonal adjustments, the MOEA said.
In the first nine months of 2018, Taiwan's export orders totaled US$371.77 billion, up 6.5 percent from a year earlier.
The MOEA said orders placed to Taiwanese information/communication device suppliers totaled NT$15.57 billion in September, up 6.2 percent from a year earlier, as international smartphone brands launched new models.
Demand for internet-related products also remained solid, the ministry said.
Orders received by electronics component exporters rose 10.2 percent from a year earlier to US$12.92 billion in September as the launch of smartphones and wearable devices by big brands lifted orders for microchips and other electronics components, the MOEA said.
Bucking the upturn, export orders for optoelectronic goods fell 10.8 percent from a year earlier to US$2.06 billion during the month because of falling demand for small and medium-sized display panels, according to MOEA data.
Export orders received by base metal suppliers totaled US$2.37 billion in September, up 1.1 percent from a year earlier on higher steel prices, the data showed.
But export orders received by machinery makers fell 5.3 percent to US$1.74 billion during the month, the first year-on-year fall in the category since August 2016, due to weakening demand from China, the MOEA said.
Export orders placed for plastics/rubber items also fell 3.6 percent in September from a year earlier to US$1.92 billion because of falling product prices, while export orders for chemicals rose 14.8 percent from a year earlier to US$2.08 billion on strong demand for upstream petrochemical products, the MOEA said.
The United States was the biggest source of export orders in September.
Orders from the U.S. to Taiwan-based exporters rose 3.7 percent from a year earlier to US$13.68, ahead of China/Hong Kong, which placed orders of US$11.30 billion, up 1.3 percent from a year earlier, the figures showed.
Export orders placed by European buyers rose 13.0 percent to US$10.99 billion in September on solid demand for information and communications devices, but orders from Association of Southeast Asian Nations members were down 1.1 percent to US$4.25 billion.
Orders from Japanese buyers were also down during the month, falling 8.0 percent to US$2.74 billion, MOEA data showed.
