Taiwan stocks edged higher on Wednesday after strong export order data, but investors were cautious after technology stocks retreated in US markets. As of 0204 GMT, the main TAIEX index was up 6.09 points, or 0.06 percent, at 9611.86, after closing up 0.1 percent on Tuesday. The US is due to issue its February nonfarm payrolls report at the end of the week. Optimisim in Taiwan's trade reliant economy is underpinned by a sustained US recovery.
Taiwan's January export orders, released after the market close on Tuesday, rose 8.1 percent on-year, but were below forecasts for growth of nearly 10 percent, Export orders from the US jumped nearly 25 percent. The electronics subindex was up 0.1 percent, but the financial subindex was off 0.2 percent. The Taiwan dollar was up T$0.129 to stand at T$31.379 to the US dollar.