SEOUL, April 24 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's consumer sentiment was unchanged this month due to lingering concerns about high inflation and interest rates that offset export recovery, central bank data showed Wednesday.
The composite consumer sentiment index, which gauges consumer sentiments over the economic situation, stood unchanged at 100.7 in April compared to the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
After declining 1.2 points in March, the index stayed at the same level as worry remained over the still high inflation and interest rates that offset continued recovery in outbound shipment.
Consumer prices gained 3.1 percent in March from a year earlier, hovering above 3 percent for the second successive month.
The BOK had left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.50 percent since January last year.
Export grew 3.1 percent in March from a year earlier, keeping an upward trend for the sixth consecutive month.
Inflation expectations, which measure the outlook among consumers over headline inflation for the next 12 months, slipped 0.1 percentage points from a month earlier to 3.1 percent in April.
After peaking at 4.7 percent in July 2022, the inflation expectations had roughly been on the decline.
The results were based on a survey of 2,324 households conducted from April 8 to 16. ■
