TAIPEI -- Taiwan's manufacturing and service sectors are less confident of future growth due to downward performances, a report showed Friday. The confidence index for manufacturing edged down by 0.97 points to stand at 100.69 points in October, while the service and construction sectors also dropped, according to a report released by the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER). The island's exports grew 3 percent year on year in October, a sharp drop from the record 28.1-percent increase in September, and the smallest growth in the last 13 months. Meanwhile, imports of semi-conductor equipment have been falling at double-digit rates for six months, weighing on export-oriented manufacturers. Service sector sentiment also cooled in October, with its index down 2.23 points compared with September as security traders faced shrinking trading volume, and insurance firms raked in less revenue. Confidence in the construction industry has also shifted its upward trend, dropping 2.41 points from September due to a damp outlook in project implementation and the local property market. "The island's economic recovery is mainly driven by exports, while local private consumption and investment remain sluggish, leaving the locals unable to feel the growth," according to TIER President Lin Chien-fu. personalised wristbandsdebossed wristbandwide rubber bandsrubber bracelets custom cheapjordan wristband
CHONGQING -- An increasing number of Chinese mergansers, an endangered bird species under state protection, have been spotted in China over the past three years, a survey showed Tuesday. Bird-watching associations spotted a total of 1,084 Chinese mergansers across the country in the winter of 2016, according to a national survey released by the Chinese Bird Watching Societies Network in Chongqing municipality. The figure was 634 and 441 in winters of 2015 and 2014 respectively, the survey said. The increased sightings could be due to better public awareness on protecting the species and improved environment. However, human activities such as illegal fishing and sand mining still pose a risk to their winter habitats. "The species is very picky about the water environment. The survey can also be used to monitor water quality," said He Fenqi, an ornithology expert with Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. For example, more than ten years ago they mainly lived in rivers and clear creeks. Now they are often spotted in areas surrounding reservoirs. "This is the result of river degradation," He said. Chinese mergansers are dubbed as "giant pandas of birds," with Russia's far east and northeast China their major reproduction bases.
