business sentiment-May
Business sentiment improves for May on expectations for more demand
SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean's business sentiment improved for May amid expectations that the government's move to lift pandemic-related curbs could boost demand, a central bank poll showed Thursday.
The business sentiment index (BSI) for local companies came to 86 for May, up three points from the previous month, according to the survey by the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The index measures corporate prospects for business conditions in the following month. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.
The rise came as the government recently lifted most social distancing rules, except for the mask mandate, as part of efforts to return to normal from the pandemic.
The BSI for manufacturers rose from 85 to 88 over the same period and the index for non-manufacturing firms declined from 82 to 85.
The sentiment for manufacturers, in particular, improved in the hope that demand for such products as cosmetics and others will mount, the BOK said.
The BSI for large companies increased from 91 to 92 over the cited period, with that for smaller firms rising five points to 83.
The BSI for exporters stayed unchanged at 93, while the index for domestic demand-oriented businesses improved from 80 to 85, the survey showed.
The survey was conducted on a total of 2,828 firms, including 1,677 manufacturers, from April 13-20, the BOK said.
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