Domestic and international clients largely maintained a cautious inventory approach and preferred to place rush orders when necessary, Tsai said. The official last month predicted a retreat of 14 to 16 percent. Shipments of electronics, notably chips, fell 21.3 percent annually to US$13.58 billion, as demand for chips failed to peak despite the arrival of the high season, the official said. Exports of information and communications technology products shed 6.2 percent to US$5.04 billion, snapping two months of gains, Tsai said. Demand for non-tech products fared worse, with declines of 30 to 50 percent for plastic, chemical, mineral and textile products, it said.
