Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/05/02
By: Pan Tzu-yu and Flor Wang
Taipei, May 2 (CNA) Taiwan’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) and non-
manufacturing index (NMI) both moved above 50 for April, driven by improved business sentiment among local manufacturers in the month, the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER) reported Thursday.
After seasonal adjustments, the April PMI rose by 2.6 to reach 51.7 last month — the first time the index has moved above 50 in six months, thanks to reduced trade friction between the United States and China.
CIER President Chen Shi-kuan (陳思寬) said local manufacturers were “cautiously optimistic” about the future business climate, with their concerns about the U.S.-China trade war and uncertainties over China’s economy subsiding.
According to Chen, local manufacturers expect operations to return to normal in the second quarter of 2019 and orders to bounce back accordingly. [FULL STORY]