SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment for South Korean businesses over economic conditions rebounded this month thanks to the continued semiconductor boom and enhanced consumer sentiment, central bank data showed Wednesday.
The composite business sentiment index (CBSI) in all industries increased 1.5 points from a month earlier to 92.1 in November after sliding 1 point in the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The turnaround was attributed to the persistent semiconductor upcycle and consumer sentiment improvement.
The CBSI among manufacturers gained 0.3 points to 92.7 in November compared to the previous month, while the index for non-manufacturers rose 2.3 points to 91.8.
The CBSI continued to stay below the long-term average of 100 amid lingering economic uncertainties.
The result was based on a survey of 1,824 manufacturers and 1,445 non-manufacturers conducted between Nov. 11 and 18.
Manufacturers selected faltering domestic demand, economic uncertainty and export slump as key barriers to doing business, while non-manufacturers picked weak consumer demand, uncertain economic situation and higher labor cost.
The economic sentiment index, which reflects sentiment among both businesses and consumers, stood at 94.1 in November, down 0.3 points from a month earlier. ■
