TAIPEI: Taiwan's export orders are expected to have declined again in February but at a slightly slower pace, a Reuters poll showed, as bleak global demand for tech products continue to hit manufacturers in the trade-reliant economy.

The median forecast of 12 economists in the poll was for February export orders to decline 5.25 percent from a year earlier. All the economists predicted a decline, with the size ranging from 0.3 percent to 9.1 percent.

Taiwan's export orders contracted 6 percent in January from a year earlier due to weaker demand for smartphones and a high level of inventory in the semiconductor supply chain.

The island's export orders are a leading indicator of demand for Asia's exports and hi-tech gadgets, and typically lead actual exports by two to three months.