POSITIVE SENTIMENT: The economy last quarter grew at the fastest clip in more than three years and the approaching holiday season is expected to boost local companies

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 22, 2018
By: Crystal Hsu  /  Staff reporter

Public confidence in the economy and equity investment showed signs of stabilization this month, ending five straight months of declines, after the government last week raised its GDP growth forecast for this year, a survey released yesterday by Cathay Financial Holding Co (國泰金控) showed.

More people expect the economy to continue to expand from last month, despite a trade war between the US and China, the nation’s largest financial services provider said.

People who expect the economy to deteriorate in the coming six months fell slightly to 48 percent, while 16.5 percent expect an improvement, the monthly survey found.

Thirty percent said the economy would remain unchanged, while 4.9 percent expressed no opinion, according to the online survey, which polled 16,243 respondents between Aug. 1 and Aug. 7.    [FULL  STORY]