The S&P Global Taiwan Manufacturing PMI eased to 54.9 in October 2026 from 56.7 in September, when it had reached its highest level in more than five years. Despite the moderation, the latest reading signaled an eleventh consecutive month of expansion, underpinned by ongoing growth in new orders amid improving demand conditions in both domestic and export markets.
Output continued to rise, though at a slower pace, while employment increased for a fourth straight month as manufacturers expanded staffing to keep up with growing workloads. At the same time, supplier delivery times lengthened markedly in October, with strong AI-related demand straining capacity and shipping disruptions persisting in the wake of the Middle East conflict.
On the cost side, input prices rose sharply again, though the rate of increase was slightly weaker than in September. Higher prices for metals, plastics, and electronics were key contributors, keeping output charges elevated. Finally, business confidence softened marginally but remained above the series average, indicating that firms are still broadly optimistic about the outlook.
