Taiwan's PMI plummeted in April, concerns over tariffs affecting manufacturers' confidence.

The latest data released by the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research shows that the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for Taiwan's manufacturing industry in April plummeted by 5.3 percentage points to 48.9%, ending two consecutive months of expansion and turning into contraction. The future outlook index also experienced the largest decline since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Analysts believe that the impact of US tariff policies has influenced manufacturers' views on future prospects, leading to a more cautious attitude and a tendency to adopt a wait-and-see approach.