CAUTION: Major technology firms are upbeat about the second half, but their hopes might be dashed if the US makes good on its threat to hike tariffs on Chinese goods

Taipei Times
Date: May 08, 2019
By: Crystal Hsu  /  Staff reporter

The nation’s exports last month contracted 3.3 percent from a year earlier to US$25.83 billion as firms cut inventory to cope with a global economic slowdown, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.

Inventory adjustments might persist this month and next month, but might ease next quarter if the US and China reach an agreement to end their tariff dispute.

“Exports saw the sixth consecutive month of decline, as demand for semiconductors remained languid,” Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) said.

Taiwan is home to the world’s largest suppliers of chips used in smartphones and high-end computing devices, with chip shipments accounting for 27.7 percent of total exports last month.    [FULL  STORY]