Taiwan's 1Q GDP Likely Grew 1.7% -- Market Talk

Taiwan's economy likely expanded 1.7% on year in the first quarter, compared with the 1.84% growth a year earlier, according to the median estimate of eight economists polled by WSJ. "The main drag to 1Q GDP should be domestic consumption and services as the Covid-19 outbreak hurt offline and outdoor consumer activities," says Ma Tieying, an economist at DBS. However, Taiwan should have still outperformed others in the region, as the pandemic appears to be well under control there and exports and manufacturing activities remain largely normal on resilient demand for electronics from its major trade partners, she adds. Advance 1Q GDP data are due later in the day.

(Apr 2020)