BANGKOK, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's business sentiment edged up in May due to improved confidence primarily in the manufacturing sector, data released by the central bank showed on Tuesday.
According to the Bank of Thailand (BOT), the Southeast Asian country's business sentiment index (BSI) was recorded at 48 last month, up from 47.3 in April, mainly owing to increases in total order books and the performance subcomponent, while cost sentiment remained low.
The manufacturing index rose across most sectors from higher confidence in performance, total order books and production, led by the chemical and plastic industries, the BOT said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the non-manufacturing index declined in nearly all businesses, particularly in the transportation sector, where respondents expressed a worsened sentiment across all components.
The three-month expected BSI came in at 52.9 in May, inching up from 52.4 a month earlier, on the back of improving confidence in almost every aspect, notably in the automobile sector, the BOT said.
The reading was based on a survey of 773 respondents from large and medium-sized firms, the central bank said. ■
