In this paper, we construct a two-step model for forecasting Taiwan’s economic growth rates based on the “diffusion indexes” method proposed by Stock and Watson (1998). In addition to Stock and Watson’s original approach, we also classify the macro-economic variables into three makers and compute their respective diffusion indexes. A forecasting model it then constructed using these market-specific indexes. Our results show that, based on various evaluation criteria, the diffusion-index-based forecasting models usually perform better than those reported by other forecasting agencies in Taiwan. Hence, the models proposed here are good alternatives in macroeconomic forecasting.