Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-12
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) Minister of the National Development Council (NDC) Duh Tyzz-jiun said Thursday that the local economy is expected to stage a rebound in the first quarter of next year in line with the global economy.

Speaking in a session of the economics committee of the Legislative Yuan, Duh said that the economy is expected to improve further in the second quarter. Duh’s forecast echoed a similar upbeat mood held by Cathay Financial Holding Co. Chairman Tsai Hong-tu, who said a day earlier that the domestic economic fundamentals are likely to fare better quarter-by-quarter in 2016.

In the third quarter of this year, Taiwan’s economy contracted 1.01 percent from a year earlier, the worst performance since the third quarter of 2009, when the country’s economy fell 1.24 percent year-on-year. The gross domestic product (GDP) contraction resulted from a 13.86- percent drop in Taiwan’s exports from a year earlier in U.S. dollar terms, with outbound sales of electronic devices — the backbone of the country’s exports — down 7.88 percent.

Exports account for about 60 percent of Taiwan’s GDP. Weakening global demand dragged down Taiwan’s exports, which tumbled 11.10 percent year-on-year in October, making the ninth consecutive drop in the country’s outbound sales. In the first 10 months of this year, Taiwan’s exports fell 9.6 percent from a year earlier.     [FULL  STORY]

BALANCING ACT:Even though facing headwinds in the notebook industry, the firm is confident that it will be able to offset the softness through its high-tech segments

Taipei Times
Date:  Nov 13, 2015
By: Lauly Li  /  Staff reporter

Lite-On Technology Corp (光寶科技) yesterday said sales and profitability for this quarter would climb from last quarter to reach this year’s peak, fueled by strong demand for its main product lines.

“We are positive that sales of cloud-computing applications, optoelectronics and power management segments would increase this quarter, driving the company’s performance to the peak of the year,” Lite-On chief executive officer Warren Chen (陳廣中) told an investors’ conference.

Chen declined to offer financial guidance for this quarter, saying only that profit would increase significantly from last quarter owing to the firm’s efforts in improving efficiency and product mix.     [FULL  STORY]

LINKOU PRESS CONFERENCE:Officials said the firm’s wearable devices have seen big growth this year, while the notebook industry is likely to be flattish next year

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 12, 2015
By: Lauly Li  /  Staff reporter

Quanta Computer Inc (廣達) yesterday said cloud-computing business might drive the its sales growth this quarter, offsetting a weakness in notebook computer manufacturing.

“Due to the global economic downturn and China’s weak economy, the outlook for notebook industry this quarter is weaker than before,” vice chairman C.C. Leung (梁次震) told a news conference at the company’s headquarters in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口).

However, growth momentum in the company’s server and wearable device businesses should remain strong this quarter, Leung said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-09
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Nov. 9 (CNA) Taiwan’s exports dropped 11 percent to US$23.94 billion in October, declining for the ninth month in a row, according to statistics released Monday by the Ministry of Finance.

The October figures represented a fifth consecutive monthly double-digit drop in Taiwan’s exports.

Imports in October, meanwhile, fell 20 percent from a year earlier to US$17.82 billion. As a result, the trade surplus for that month was US$6.12 billion. In the first 10 months of the year, Taiwan’s exports dropped 9.6 percent year-on-year to US$236.31 billion, while its imports fell 16.8 percent to US$191.65 billion, creating a trade surplus of US$44.66 billion.

The Ministry of Finance attributed the plummet in exports to slumping international oil prices, saying it has caused a plunge in demand for mineral and plastic products.     [FULL  STORY]

CHINESE COMPETITION:Taiwan would continue to lead the industry, but it needs to take measures if it wants to keep up with the competition from China, an analyst said

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 10, 2015
By: Lisa Wang  /  Staff reporter

The nation’s semiconductor industry is expected to grow its revenue 4 percent next year on improving smartphone demand, market researcher the Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center (IEK) said yesterday.

Taiwanese semiconductor companies are to expand their revenues to NT$2.34 trillion (US$71.27 billion) next year, compared with this year’s estimated NT$2.24 trillion, the IEK said.

The growth is to be primarily supported by the foundry sector’s estimated 9.9 percent annual growth, while most sectors are to grow less than 5 percent next year, the IEK said.

The nation would continue to outpace the world in the semiconductor industry, which is only expected to see a growth of less than 2 percent next year, the center said.      [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-11-10
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, Nov. 10 (CNA) The Taiwan Stock Exchange’s main index opened 27.93 points lower at 8,614.55 Tuesday on turnover of NT$1.25 billion (US$38.08 million).