TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's export orders likely fell for an eleventh straight month in September but at a slower pace than the previous month, a Reuters poll showed, as weak demand for electronics continued to hurt the growth outlook for the island's manufacturers.
The median forecast from the poll of 13 economists was for export orders to drop 4.9% from a year earlier. The forecasts ranged widely from a decline of 1.2% to a sharp drop of 10.05%.
Orders in August fell 8.3%, the most in five months, as tepid demand for smartphones outweighed an improving export outlook ahead of the peak year-end season for gadgets.
Taiwan's export orders are a leading indicator of demand for Asia's exports and for hi-tech gadgets, and typically lead actual exports by two to three months.
(Poll compiled by Carol Lee; Reporting by Yimou Lee; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
