Taiwan export growth slows in September

Taiwan's September exports plunged from a three-year high in August, as declines in the sectors of plastic, rubber and mineral products have constrained the overall growth, the island's statistics authority said Tuesday.

Taiwan exported $26.43 billion of goods in September, up 4.7 percent from a year earlier, but a 5.9 percent drop from last month.

Imports increased merely 0.2 percent from the same period last year to22.93 billion U.S. dollars, also marking a 4.4 percent decrease from August.

In the first nine months, Taiwan registered a trade surplus of 26.35 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of $1.49 billion from the same period last year.

Sales of electronic components, a main driver behind the island's exports, expanded 13.7 percent from a year earlier, but were partially offset by a 9.2 percent plunge in sales of plastic and rubber products.

Meanwhile, shipments to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong were up 3.6 percent in September, down from a 8.7 percent gain in August.

Growth was also dragged down by a mere 1.2 percent increase in exports to Europe last month, a significant slowdown from the 13.5 percent rise in August.