SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment of South Korean businesses over economic situation worsened for the second straight month, central bank data showed Wednesday.
The composite business sentiment index (CBSI) in all industries declined 2.6 points over the month to 92.5 in August, after slipping 0.6 points in the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The index hovered below the long-term average of 100 due to the expanded global economic uncertainty and the delayed domestic demand recovery.
The CBSI among manufacturers retreated 2.9 points to 92.8 in August compared with the previous month, and the index for non-manufacturers dipped 2.4 points to 92.2.
The results were based on a survey of 1,845 manufacturers and 1,447 non-manufacturers conducted between Aug. 6 and 13.
Manufacturers selected faltering domestic demand, economic uncertainties and sluggish export as key barriers to doing business, while non-manufacturers picked domestic demand slump, uncertain economic situations, and higher labor costs.
The economic sentiment index (ESI), which reflects sentiment among both businesses and consumers, stood at 94.2 in August, down 1.7 points from the previous month. ■
