Forward-looking‧Professional‧International 
May 2015  
Global economy is coping with fiercer headwind
TIER business composite indices turn sourer
In view of the current global economic conditions, we may conclude that nearly all are facing fiercer headwind but the Euro zone. With relatively lower base as well as the quantitative easing started to take its course, the Euro zone grew by 1.0% y-o-y in Q1, 2015. However, the other major economies in the world are in chorus stressing issues of slower external performance and weaker internal demand. As a result, business composite indices of both manufacturing and service sectors issued by the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) declined in April 2015.
Taiwan’s exports in April 2015 decreased by 11.67% on a year-on-year basis; the continuous crude price plunge offsets the exports of petroleum related industries. Furthermore, the value of exports declined tremendously compared with that one year ago due to much lower commodity prices. As Taiwan’s imports would often be affected by exports, the imports in April 2015 also declined by 22.10% year-on-year due to almost the same reasons of declining exports. till the end of April 2015 stood at US$ 18.17 billion.
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Average salary for college grads back at NT$27,000, says MOL
After 11 years, the average starting monthly salary of college graduates has returned to above NT$27,000, according to a survey released by the Ministry of Labor yesterday. In the ministry's latest survey, the average starting salary of college graduates stood at NT$27,193 a month, up by NT$278 from the wage in 2013 but below the average wage of NT$28,016 in 2000. The MOL conducts an annual survey on the salary conditions in various Taiwan industries. This year's survey was conducted in last August and gathered 9,695 viable samples. According to the survey, the average starting regular salary for all Taiwan employees was NT$25,634 a month, a 1.82-percent increase from the average in 2013. Meanwhile, the average monthly regular salary of seasoned professionals was NT$32,448. (Source: The China Post)

To Southern Taiwan: Open dialogues with students on Impacts and Challenges to Taiwan with China-Korea FTA (Source: MOEA)
Taiwan Economic Research Monthly
The new era to digital financial services
The trend of financial innovation led by ICT
The rise of mobile payment, third party payment and virtual currency, integrating with the services channel of physical counters and video ATM, as well as big data analysis play a critical role in management and decision-making process. This article analyses innovation financial products and services, which were driven from new technology innovation. It also provides the outlook of triggering financial industry competitions.
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