DGBAS 結果共12筆

the year-over-year (YoY) rate in the rent index has been around 2% for the past two years, a relatively high level. The YoY growth rate in March was 2.24%, the highest increase in the past year. Over the past decade, the average annual increase in the rent index was 1.1%. However, since July 2022, the growth has exceeded 2% and has remained at this level. DGBAS officials pointed out three main factors that contributed to the rise in rent. First, the cost of maintaining houses has increased. In recent years, the increase in residential maintenance costs has been significant, with a sharp rise of 5.8% in 2022 and increases of over 3% in 2023 and 2024. 

Taiwan’s DGBAS reports a 4.47% year-on-year increase in medical costs for March, the highest in 18 years, due to the New Health Insurance Co-payment System. The March CPI showed a 2.14% year-on-year increase, with dining-out costs and essential commodity prices decreasing slightly. However, inflationary pressures persist in services like medical costs and rent.

Taiwan’s export performance reached a historic high from 2021 to 2023, but experienced a 9.8% decline in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to the Ministry of Finance. Despite this setback, exports to the U.S. continued to soar with a 49.7% year-on-year increase, while exports to countries covered by Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy also saw significant growth. However, exports to mainland China decreased to 35.2%. Taiwan’s total export tally for 2023 amounted to US$432.48 billion, ranking behind only 2022 and 2021. The demand for communications and electronic products during the pandemic-induced work-from-home trend boosted Taiwan’s exports. The Taiwan Institute of Economic Research predicted significant international trade growth in 2024, which would benefit export-oriented economies like Taiwan. In December 2023, Taiwan’s exports to the U.S. reached $8.49 billion, and exports to southern countries surged by over 50%. However, due to the limited coverage of free trade agreements (FTAs), many traditional Taiwanese industries chose to restructure risks and production in Southeast and South Asia. The return of Taiwanese businesses and the expansion of local factories after the U.S.-China trade war, as well as global economic circumstances, significantly impacted the decline in 2023 exports. The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) estimated the first-quarter export volume for 2024 to be around US$106.1 billion, which is an improvement compared to the same period in 2023, but a 10% decrease from 2022.

Taiwan’s wealth gap widens as economic growth hits a 14-year low. Experts call for action to address income inequality and rising living costs.

Taiwan’s GDP per capita has surpassed South Korea’s for the first time since 2003, reaching US＄32,625 in 2022 compared to South Korea’s US＄32,410, according to the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS). This economic victory can be attributed to Taiwan’s higher growth rate in recent years and the greater depreciation of South Korea’s won. Taiwan had been trailing behind South Korea in terms of GDP per capita since 2003, but the gap between the two has been consistently shrinking. Additionally, in financial market news, Taiwan’s stock index has also advanced beyond Hong Kong’s for the first time in nearly 31 years, with the Taiwan Stock Exchange index closing at 17,370 points, outpacing the Hang Seng Index, which was weighed down by China’s low-earning equities and closed at 16,993.

A survey by Cathay Financial Holdings reveals a rise in Taiwan’s economic confidence, with the outlook index turning positive and stock market optimism rebounding. The December survey shows that 70% of the population expects the economic growth rate to exceed 2% in 2024, while 55% anticipate the inflation rate to remain above 2%. These expectations differ slightly from projections by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics (DGBAS), which forecasts a 3.35% economic growth rate and an inflation rate of 1.64% for 2024. The DGBAS data suggests that people may be more conservative about economic expansion and anticipate higher inflation. Additionally, expectations for salary adjustments have improved compared to 2022, with 45.9% of those surveyed predicting wage increases. Of these, 9.2% believe raises will exceed 3%, and 47.6% expect monthly regular wages to stay the same. Taiwan’s current situation confidence index has climbed from -23.2 in November to -3.0 in December, while the future outlook confidence index has improved from -9.1 to 3.6, signaling growing optimism about Taiwan’s upcoming economic climate.

Taiwan’s Social Protection Expenditure (SPE) for 2022 has reached a new high of NT$2.5342 trillion, according to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS). This represents a 4.9% growth rate and an increase of NT$118.1 billion compared to the previous year. The DGBAS attributes the significant growth to factors such as increased costs related to COVID-19 vaccine procurement and vaccination efforts, higher National Health Insurance payments, and increased funding for childcare allowances and educational subsidies. Social security spending in Taiwan aims to mitigate risks or burdens associated with aging, disabilities, survivors, sickness and healthcare, childbirth, family and children, unemployment, occupational injuries, and housing, following the standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Taiwan’s manufacturing sector shows signs of recovery with increased overtime hours in October, according to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS). Manufacturers’ overtime climbed to 15.4 hours, a 1.6-hour increase from the previous year, marking continuous growth over four months and a return to 2021 levels. The average regular wage from January to October 2022 was NT$45,441, a 2.49% year-over-year increase. The total average salary within the same period was NT$59,270, up by 1.53%. However, when adjusted for inflation, the real average regular earnings only inched up 0.06%, and the real total earnings witnessed a slip of 0.87% year-over-year, the first negative growth in nearly seven years. This decline in total real wages is attributed to tepid exports and the rising cost of living. Employment in the industrial and service sectors stood at 8.19 million people as of October, with a slight increase compared to September 2021 and largely unchanged from October 2021. The service sector gained 41,000 employees in October, offsetting the decrease in the industrial sector. Throughout the first ten months of 2022, the average number of employed workers was 8.175 million, with the accommodation and food services and arts, entertainment, and recreational services sectors seeing new hires while the manufacturing sector lost jobs. In October 2022 alone, the average regular salary for employed workers was NT$45,564, a 2.31% annual rise, and the average total wage for the month was NT$51,143, a 1.35% increase from the previous year.

Taiwan’s 2023 GDP growth forecast has been lowered to 1.42%, the lowest in 14 years, due to weaker exports and private investment. Year-end bonuses for Taiwanese workers have also been affected, with the average amount shrinking to 1.08 months’ worth of salary, hitting a 10-year low. The financial industry leads in bonus payouts with an average of 1.83 months’ salary, followed by the semiconductor industry at 1.38 months. The healthcare services industry averages just 0.97 months of salary, while the accommodations and food services sector lags further behind at only 0.59 months. Despite the downward revision, the DGBAS remains optimistic for 2024, forecasting a GDP growth rate rebound to 3.35%. However, challenges such as the Ukraine-Russia war, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and ongoing inflation may pose risks to the global economy. Looking ahead to 2024, local job banks predict pay increases in 47.5% of companies, with an average salary hike of 3.2%, slightly lower than in 2023. Experts caution that Taiwan’s economic recovery may not be as swift as hoped.

Taiwan faces a widening wealth gap, reaching its highest in a decade. With challenges like high inflation and stagnant wages, the top 20% of families earn significantly more than the bottom, highlighting deep economic disparities.

The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) has revised Taiwan’s third-quarter GDP growth forecast to 2.32%, down from the previous estimate of 2.54%. The revision is attributed to a slowdown in private capital formation, including government and public enterprises’ fixed investments and stock changes. However, the DGBAS official, Wang Tsui-hua, stated that Taiwan’s economy is still improving, with a third-quarter GDP growth rate of 10.47% on a seasonally adjusted annual rate (saar). If fourth-quarter forecasts are maintained, this year’s GDP will be revised downward to 1.55%.

Taiwan’s export industry’s performance this year has yet to see high numbers. However, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) estimates that the growth in private consumption will exceed 5%, taking the lead in the country’s economic performance.