Industrial production index rises 17.83%PROJECTION: Despite the Middle East conflicts, the manufacturing production gauge this quarter could rise to a record high for the period, an official saidBy Meryl Kao / Staff reporterThe industrial production index rose 17.83 percent year-on-year to 109.46 last month, driven by strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing applications that boosted information technology and electronics products’ output, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday. The manufacturing production index — which accounts for 93.72 percent of the overall industrial production index — rose 19.64 percent year-on-year to 111.55 last month, the 24th consecutive month of annual growth, ministry data showed. The figures exceeded the ministry’s forecasts of 102.26 for the industrial production index and 106.26 for the manufacturing production gauge. Industrial production in the first two months of this year grew 22.95 percent year-on-year to 116.68, the highest on record for the period, Chen said. During the first two months, production of electronic components, including integrated circuits, motherboards and memory products, rose 24.95 percent year-on-year due to strong AI demand, Chen said.

Source: Taipei Times March 24, 2026 17:14 UTC