Taiwan: Manufacturing PMI rises in December
The IHS Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose from 54.9 in November to 55.5 in December. The index thus remained above the 50-threshold, and signaled a faster improvement in business conditions from the previous month.
December’s reading was driven by a rebound in output and faster new orders growth. In contrast, employment rose at a slower pace. Meanwhile, supply chains showed tentative signs of normalizing, with supplier delivery times lengthening at the slowest rate in over a year, and both input and output price inflation easing. That said, firms continued to anticipate supply disruptions ahead, and stockpiled inputs at a record pace in response. Finally, business confidence improved in December.