SEOUL, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment among South Korean businesses over the economic situation worsened for the second straight month in July amid surging inflation and rising worry about an economic downturn, central bank data showed Thursday.
The business sentiment index (BSI) declined 2 points over the month to 80 in July, after sliding 4 points in the prior month, according to the Bank of Korea.
The worsened sentiment came as inflationary pressure mounted on the geopolitical risks in Europe and the global supply chain disruptions.
To counter runaway inflation, the central bank hiked its policy rate six times since August last year, fueling concerns about an economic slump.
The BSI among manufacturers slipped 3 points to 80 in the cited month, and the index for non-manufacturers shed 2 points to 80.
The reading below 100 indicates pessimists outnumbering optimists. The result was based on a survey of 1,661 manufacturers and 1,136 non-manufacturers conducted between July 13 and 20. ■
