Taiwan's business sentiment dropped to a two-year low in April, as local firms struggled to interpret US trade policy and feared "reciprocal" tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, Taipei Times reported, citing the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER).
The manufacturing index dropped by 3.53 points to 90.9, with just 18.2% of firms reporting better performance, marking a steep decline from the previous month. Although Trump announced a 90-day pause on the tariffs, lingering uncertainty has led businesses to cautiously stock up on inventory.
Optimism for the next six months slightly improved, with 22.9% of firms expecting better conditions, the report added.
(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.