Taiwan Inflation Eases To Nearly 4-Year Low, Trade Surplus Shrinks

(RTTNews) - Taiwan consumer price inflation eased in February to the lowest level in almost four years, data released by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics showed on Friday.

Separate official data showed that the trade surplus in Taiwan decreased in February from a year ago as imports grew faster exports.

The consumer price index, or CPI, climbed 1.58 percent year-on-year in February, slower than the 2.66 percent rise in January.

Further, this was the slowest inflation since March 2021, when prices had risen 1.21 percent.

The slowdown in inflation was due to the price decline for holiday-related grocery items and service charges, mainly because the Lunar New Year holidays fell in February in 2024, whereas in 2025 they occurred in January, the agency said.

The annual price growth in housing eased to 2.18 percent from 2.3 percent, while clothing prices dropped by 0.72 percent.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.25 percent in January after a 0.27 percent increase in the prior month.

The trade surplus dropped to $6.55 billion in January from $7.91 billion in the corresponding month last year, preliminary figures from the Ministry of Finance revealed.

Exports grew 31.5 percent year-over-year in February, and imports jumped by 47.8 percent.

Shipments of information, communication, and audio-video products surged by 65.5 percent, while imports of machinery grew the most by 113.8 percent.