臺灣一季度GDP收縮0.84%
The Taiwanese economy shrank more than expected in the first quarter, suggesting tighter links to a slowing China remain a drag on growth for the export-dependent nation.
臺灣一季度經濟萎縮超過預期，表明與增長放緩的中國更緊密的聯繫，對依賴出口的臺灣經濟的增長仍在造成拖累。
Taiwanese GDP contracted by 0.84 per cent from a year earlier in the March quarter, accelerating from contraction of 0.52 per cent at the end of 2015 and exceeding expectations of a 0.65 per cent contraction among economists surveyed.
臺灣今年首季國內生產總值(GDP)同比收縮0.84%，比2015年底0.52%的收縮速度有所加快，也超出了受訪經濟學家此前0.65%的收縮預期。
The latest growth report is the worst since a contraction of 0.98 per cent in the third quarter of 2009, the most recent contraction before the economy shrank by 0.80 per cent in the quarter ended September last year.
新出爐的這份增長報告是2009年第三季度以來最差成績，當時的收縮幅度爲0.98%。2009年第三季度是近期首次經濟收縮，其後的第二次收縮是去年第三季度的-0.80%。
Taiwan’s central bank trimmed its benchmark rate to 1.5 per cent in March after cutting rates twice last year in September and December.
在去年9月和12月兩次降息後，臺灣央行今年3月將基準利率下調至1.5%。
Figures from the National Statistics Office in Taipei showed manufacturing activity had pared losses to -4.1 per cent in the first quarter year on year, easing from -4.74 per cent the previous quarter. Taiwan’s purchasing manufacturers index in March rose to 51.7 from a February reading of 50, though prices continued to fall as firms sought to line up more work.
來自臺灣“中華民國統計資訊網”的數據顯示，今年一季度製造業與去年同期相比跌幅縮小至-4.1%，比前一季度的-4.74%有所緩解。臺灣3月份採購經理人指數(PMI)升至51.7，2月的指數爲50。雖然企業計劃增加就業機會，但價格仍繼續下降。
But the contraction in construction accelerated by 3.15 percentage points to -4.65 per cent, with wholesale/retail and transportation/storage activity both slipping further into negative territory.
但建築業收縮加速3.15個百分點，降至-4.65%，而且批發及零售業、運輸及倉儲業的數據都進一步跌入負值。
While electricity/gas activity had clawed its way back from a fall of 11.78 per cent last quarter to eke out growth of 0.01 per cent year on year, the only area to show any substantial growth was real estate, which rose by about a percentage point to 1.38 per cent.
電力及燃氣供應業從去年第四季度11.78%的跌幅重回增長，同比勉強上漲至0.01%。唯一表現出實質性增長的領域是房地產，上漲約1個百分點至1.38%。
