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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》Industrial production up 7.8％ annually
Trainees learn how to build and operate an extreme ultraviolet lithograph machine at ASML Holding’s training center in Tainan on Aug. 20. Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
KEY SECTOR: Electronics continued to support production, and the Department of Statistics said growth should continue if the COVID-19 situation does not change
By Angelica Oung / Staff reporter
Industrial production last month rose 7.84 percent year-on-year, the 10th consecutive month of annual growth, the Ministry of Economic Affairs （MOEA） said yesterday.
In the first 11 months of this year, industrial production rose 6.54 percent from the same period last year, the ministry said.
Department of Statistics Deputy Director-General Huang Wei-jie （黃偉傑） said that strong electronics exports continued to support the winning streak, especially with “a certain smartphone release from an international company” — widely understood to mean Apple Inc’s new iPhone, although the ministry does not mention products by name.
The production of electronic components rose 14.18 percent year-on-year, the 12th consecutive month of double-digit percentage growth, the ministry said.
“The release of new international consumer products, and demand for 5G and high-performance computing [HPC] devices all contributed to strong production,” Huang said. “IC foundries have their order books full as well.”
The demand for larger displays last month also caused the output of LCD panels and components to grow by 11.69 percent year-on-year, the ministry said.
The production of chemical materials grew year-on-year on demand for COVID-19 prevention products and electronic items, while the output of basic metals grew 6.67 percent thanks to steady demand for automotive, machinery and home appliance goods, the ministry said.
“Looking ahead, we expect continued growth in industrial production due to sustained demand for 5G, HPC and AI [artificial intelligence] products, as well as preparations ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday,” Huang said. “The only uncertainty is the resurgence of COVID-19 worldwide.”
Wholesalers, retailers, and food and beverage companies last month also reported solid year-on-year growth in sales, the ministry said in a separate report yesterday, adding that all three sectors had the highest growth for the month of November since the ministry began collecting such data in 1953.
Wholesale revenue increased 8.5 percent year-on-year to NT$942 billion （US$33 million）, while retail sales rose 2.5 percent to NT$352.4 billion, and food and beverage sales rose 0.8 percent to NT$64.4 billion.
Although wholesalers, retailers, and food and beverage companies have recovered from the COVID-19 crisis early in the year, food and beverage companies are likely to end the year in the red, Huang said.
“We expect wholesalers to finish the year in positive territory and retailers could go either way, but food and beverage companies were hurt too badly in the first quarter and the banquet business has been unable to recover,” he said.
Many companies have chosen not to hold extravagant year-end events for employees this year due to the pandemic, he added.
Tuesday’s case of locally transmitted COVID-19 infection — the first since April — might slow growth, Huang said.
“So far, the Central Epidemic Control Center has not asked for any curbs on people’s movements, but time will tell if it becomes a more serious issue,” he said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
