離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Export orders surged 21％ in February
A Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp cargo ship is pictured at the Port of Keelung yesterday. Photo: CNA
STILL GROWING: The economics ministry expects orders in March to expand for a 25th straight month, as key component and raw material supply further improves
By Lisa Wang / Staff reporter
Export orders expanded 21 percent year-on-year to US$51.56 billion last month, as an easing component shortage boosted orders for chips and electronics products, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.
Last month’s orders were a record for February, beating the upper range of the ministry’s forecast of US$46.5 billion.
With key component and raw material supply improving further, the ministry expects export orders this month to grow for a 25th straight month to between US$58.5 billion and US$60 billion.
That would signify an annual expansion of between 9 and 11.8 percent, it added.
For the first quarter as a whole, export orders are forecast to grow 14.4 percent to a record US$170.4 billion, the ministry said.
However, on a quarterly basis, that would, at worst, represent a decline of 11.5 percent, as the first quarter is usually a slow season for electronics, it added.
“A double-digit annual percentage growth in the first quarter would be quite a performance. Seasonal factors would not play as big an impact as they did before,” Department of Statistics Director Huang Yu-ling （黃于玲） said by telephone.
Huang attributed the expansion to a recovering global economy and accelerating growth in infrastructure, as major economies launch projects to meet robust demand for emerging technologies and advanced chips
The impact from the Russia-Ukraine war should be limited, as Taiwan exported only about US$1.48 billion in goods to Russia and Ukraine last year, she said.
“A ministry survey showed that only a handful local companies have taken a direct hit from the war and saw a decline in orders,” Huang said.
Electronics and information and communications technology （ICT） products — two pillars of the nation’s export orders — both beat the seasonal downtrend last month, Huang said.
Orders for electronics products — chips primarily — jumped 31.6 percent annually, but slid 7.9 percent sequentially to US$17.69 billion, making the segment the biggest contributor to export orders last month.
Orders for ICT products soared 29.7 percent year-on-year, but dropped 5.8 percent month-on-month to US$14.78 billion, driven by the robust demand for notebook computers, 5G smartphones, servers and networking devices.
Orders for optoelectronics products were flat at US$2.13 billion, compared with a year ago. On a monthly basis, orders fell 13.1 percent amid slackening demand for TVs and notebook computer panels, which led to panel price decreases.
Orders for basic metals — mainly for steel — rose 16.1 percent year-on-year, but fell 17.2 percent month-on-month, to US$2.73 billion, as the world’s major economies launched infrastructure projects.
Machine tool orders climbed 1.8 percent year-on-year, or down 21.7 percent month-on-month, to US$1.86 billion as rapid capacity expansion in semiconductors fueled demand for machinery and automation equipment. The growth was offset by a slowdown in demand from China.
Orders for plastics products contracted 1.5 percent annually and monthly to US$2.06 billion.
Orders for petrochemical products surged 22.1 percent year-on-year, but declined 16.2 percent month-on-month to US$1.92 billion, as global crude oil prices soared 54.3 percent annually.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
