Taiwan Business Indicators in December 2009
Press Release
Council for Economic Planning and Development
January 27, 2010
In December 2009, Taiwan Business Indicators indicated that economic conditions have generally improved modestly. Among the indicators compiled by the Cabinet’s Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD), the annualized six-month rate of change of leading index decreased 1.1 points, the trend-adjusted coincident index rose by 2.2% from the previous month, and the overall monitoring indicator flashed the "yellow-red" signal.
1. Leading Indicators: With revised data, the leading index stood at 104.6, up by 0.8% from November. Its annualized six-month rate of change decreased, down by 1.1 points to 19.9%. Among the seven indicators making up the trend-adjusted index, SEMI book-to-bill ratio, index of producer's inventory, and real monetary aggregates M1B had negative cyclical movements from previous month. Average monthly overtime in industry and services, the index of export orders, building permits, and stock price index had positive cyclical movements from previous month.
2. Coincident Indicators: With revised data, the coincident index stood at 104.8, up by 2.0% from November. Its trend-adjusted index rose for the eleventh consecutive month, up by 2.2% to 106.4. Except for sales index of wholesale, retail, and food services, all coincident indicators contributed positively to the trend-adjusted index, led mainly by large increase of the cyclical movements in industrial production index, real manufacturing sales, real machineries and electrical equipments imports, and real customs-cleared exports.
3. The Monitoring Indicators: The total score recorded 37 in December, the same level of previous month. The overall light signal flashed the "yellow-red" signal for the second consecutive month. The light signals for all the nine components remained unchanged.
~~ The next release is scheduled for March 2, 2010 ~~