The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) last month gained 2.6 points to 58.8, as demand picked up for most sectors, despite a possible downward pull due to the Lunar New Year holiday, the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER, 中華經濟研究院) said yesterday.
A spike in new orders for electronics, optical devices and machinery allowed the new business subindex to overcome unfavorable seasonality with a six-point increase to 58.6, the Taipei-based think tank said.
“The latest survey showed that operating conditions remained healthy and should remain bright,” CIER president Chang Chuang-chang (張傳章) said.
Economic gauges in countries where the Lunar New Year
Taipei, Feb. 8 (CNA) Taiwan's manufacturing sector grew in January for the 19th consecutive month, but the pace of expansion slowed, according to the latest Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for Taiwan compiled by the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER).
The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) last month was 56.2, above the expansion mark for the 19th consecutive month, but 3.1 points lower than December, dragged by slack industrial output, the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER, 中華經濟研究院) said yesterday.
Manufacturers remain largely positive about their business outlook, but hold different views about procurement and inventory strategies, as well as profit margin expectations, the Taipei-based think tank said.
“The latest PMI data represented the slowest expansion since September 2020 after the sub-index on industrial output slipped into the contraction zone,” CIER president Chang Chuang-chang (張傳章) said, citing the institute’s monthly survey.
PMI
The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) posted 59.3 this month, above the expansion threshold for 18 straight months, but increasing costs might weaken companies’ profitability next year, the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER, 中華經濟研究院) said yesterday.
The Taipei-based think tank said that its assessment is based on a month-long survey of local firms.
PMI readings aim to gauge the health of the manufacturing industry, with scores above 50 indicating expansion and scores below 50 suggesting a contraction.
The growth extended across all manufacturing sectors, as local companies benefited from the recovery of the global economy, the survey showed.
“Companies generally expect
Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Manufacturing activity in Taiwan remained in expansion mode for the 18th consecutive month in December but profit margins in the industry could decline in the first half of next year due to supply chain bottlenecks, the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER) said Thursday.