Taiwan Trade Surplus Grows In April

Taiwan's foreign trade surplus increased in April from a year ago, preliminary figures from the Ministry of Finance revealed on Thursday.

The trade surplus rose to $7.21 billion in April from $6.3 billion in the corresponding month last year. The surplus also increased from $6.95 billion in March. The expected surplus was $6.38 billion.

Exports grew 29.9 percent year-over-year in April, much faster than the 18.6 percent surge in the prior month. Economists had forecast 16.0 percent growth.

Shipments of information, communication, and audio-video products jumped by 60.5 percent, and outflows of parts of electronic products rose by 26.8 percent.

The annual growth in imports was 33.0 percent versus 28.8 percent in March. That was well above the 18.9 percent rise expected by economists.