Biz sentiment hits 9-month high in August following US tariff deal: BOK survey

Business sentiment in South Korea rose to a nine-month high this month amid reduced uncertainty following a high-stakes tariff agreement with the United States, a central bank survey showed Wednesday. The Composite Business Sentiment Index (CBSI) for all industries stood at 91.0 in August, up 1.4 points from the previous month, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The August figure marked the highest level since November 2024, when the index came to 91.8. It was also the first increase in three months. The index measures corporate outlooks on overall business conditions, with a reading below 100 indicating that pessimists outnumber optimists. The CBSI among manufacturers went up 1.4 points from the previous month to 93.3 in August, while the index among non-manufacturers advanced 0.7 point to 89.4. The outlook for all industries for September also climbed 3.4 points to 91.8, the survey showed. "Tariff-related uncertainty has been eased following the conclusion of negotiations with the U.S., and exports, particularly in semiconductors and automobiles, showed strong performance,"Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times