FX.co ★ Taiwan Retail Sales Tumble in February

In February 2025, Taiwan experienced a 3.8% decrease in retail sales compared to the same month the previous year. This downturn follows a strong increase of 5.5% in January, marking the first drop in retail activity since October 2024. The decline was led by significant reductions in sales of textiles and clothing, which fell by 21.6% compared to a 16.3% increase in January. Cultural and recreation goods saw a decrease of 7.3%, down from a 20.8% rise, while sales in food, beverages, and tobacco also dropped by 5.1% after an 11.9% increase. In contrast, sales of construction materials showed notable improvement, rising by 11% compared to a previous fall of 12%. Similarly, sales of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and related parts surged by 20.6% following a 9.2% decline. On a monthly basis, February saw retail sales plummet by 20.2%, after experiencing a 2.8% rise in January.