SEOUL, March 26 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s business sentiment remains pessimistic for April, a poll showed Wednesday, amid growing uncertainties associated with global trade.
The business survey index (BSI) of the country’s top 600 companies by sales stood at 88 for next month, according to the monthly poll by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI).
A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists, while a figure above the benchmark means the opposite. The index has remained below 100 for 37 consecutive months since April 2022.
The BSI for the manufacturing sector came to 92 for April, while the index for nonmanufacturing was recorded at 84.2.
Among nonmanufacturing industries, all but the restaurant and lodging sectors anticipated weakened confidence for April. In manufacturing industries, negative sentiment was prevalent in the automobile, clothing and energy sectors.
“With growing global trade uncertainty driven by rising tariffs and protectionism, concerns over economic slowdowns in major countries are becoming a reality,” a FKI official said.
This file photo from Feb. 12, 2025, shows shipping containers at a port in South Korea’s southeastern city of Busan. (Yonhap)
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