Preliminary Q1 GDP seen at 5.65 yy prior qtr 4.93
Data due Tuesday, April 30, at 4 p.m. 0800 GMT

TAIPEI, April 29 Reuters Taiwan39;s tradedependent economy likely grew faster in the first quarter, supported by a rebound in exports amid upbeat demand for the technology that powers artificial intelligence AI applications, a Reuters poll showed on Monday.

Gross domestic product GDP is expected to have expanded 5.65 during JanuaryMarch versus a yearago period, according to the poll of 18 economists. GDP grew 4.93 yearonyear in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Economists39; forecast for preliminary GDP data, due on Tuesday, varied from an expansion of 4.2 to as much as 7.

Firstquarter exports rose 12.9 yearonyear, compared with the fourthquarter39;s annual expansion of just 3.4, as Taiwan39;s techheavy exporters like chipmakers rode a wave of AI demand.

Due to strong exports, the manufacturing sector is getting its wind back and unemployment remains low, SinoPac Securities Investment analyst Mickey Liao said.

The first quarter should see the highest GDP growth this year, slipping back to 3.5 in the second quarter, but let39;s see how the first quarter has panned out, he added.

The government39;s statistics bureau in February raised its forecast for fullyear 2024 growth to 3.43 from a previous prediction of 3.35. Last year, the economy expanded 1.31, its slowest pace in 14 years.

The economy in China, Taiwan39;s largest export market, grew faster than expected in the…