Taiwan's exports hit an all-time monthly high in August as AI and cloud computing demand keeps booming — very good news for Taiwan's chip industry and its trade balance.

• Exports reached $82.4 billion in August, up 41% from a year earlier, the highest single month on record.
• Electronic parts led the way, topping $30 billion for the first time, with chips doing most of the heavy lifting.
• August marked the 34th month in a row of growth, tying Taiwan's longest streak ever.
• The trade surplus also hit a monthly record, with Taiwan's surplus with the U.S. and deficit with South Korea both widening.
• Finance officials admitted they had underestimated how strong AI demand would be.

Outlook: September exports are expected to grow more than 40% again, which would set a new record for the longest run of export growth in Taiwan's history.