On Wednesday, the Bank of Korea released the results of a survey that revealed a decline in South Korea’s business sentiment index (BSI) for August. The index dropped to 67, its lowest point in six months since February, when it was 63. An index score below 100 indicates that pessimists outnumber optimists.
The weakened outlook is likely due to the ongoing economic and monetary uncertainties both domestically and abroad. The semiconductor sector’s slow recovery and the slowdown of the Chinese economy have had a significant effect on business sentiment.
The BSI for September remained at 73, the same as the previous month.
In the accompanying photo, containers are seen stacked at a pier in the southeastern port city of Busan, taken on June 12, 2023.
sam@yna.co.kr
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