TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s economy may grow more than 6% this year as consumer confidence brightened in November, according to a National Central University report.

NCU’s Research Center for Taiwan Economic Development said the consumer confidence index edged up 0.69 points to 64.65, marking improvements across most sub-indices, per CNA. Researcher Wu Ta-jen (吳大任) said consumers remain cautious amid tariff concerns but economic performance has been stronger than expected.

Five of the index’s six components rose, including price levels, household finances, economic outlook, jobs, and durable-goods buying sentiment. Only the stock investment timing index declined, making it the lone drag on November’s results.

Wu said pessimism surged after US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs in April but the expected impact on exports has not materialized. He said sentiment has shifted from bleak to watchful, and that growth could exceed 6% despite confidence remaining below the long-term average of roughly 74.

Durable-goods purchasing confidence posted the sharpest monthly gain, jumping 4.63 points to 97. The real-estate timing indicator, compiled with Taiwan Realty, also rose 3.84 points to 94.26 as property sentiment recovered.

Wu said that although many feared tariffs would harm Taiwan’s economy and the property market, robust economic performance has helped restore confidence.

The stock-investment sub-index fell 9.5 points to 27.02, extending a two-month slide though at a slower pace. Wu attributed the weakness to Taiwan’s tight correlation with the US market, where fading household spending, low confidence, and AI-bubble concerns have weighed on equities.

Wu said the CCI has moved sideways between 62 and 65 in recent months as tariff uncertainty persists. He said two issues now are the outcome of Taiwan-US negotiations over investment levels and Washington’s pending semiconductor tariff decision.

Wu said the talks are in their final stage and clarity could come as early as December or early next year, which he believes would help stabilize sentiment.