Biz sentiment rises to near 4-year high in August on improved service outlook in vacation season: BOK

Korea's business sentiment rose to a nearly four-year high in August, driven by solid confidence in manufacturing and an improved outlook in the service sector during the summer vacation season, a central bank survey showed Wednesday. The Composite Business Sentiment Index (CBSI) for all industries stood at 99.6 in August, up 1.1 points from the previous month, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The reading marked the highest level since September 2022, when the index recorded 102 after the COVID-19 pandemic. The index measures corporate outlooks on overall business conditions, with a reading below 100 indicating that pessimists outnumber optimists. The BOK said sentiment in the non-manufacturing sector, including transportation and leisure, as well as broadcasting and film, improved during the peak summer vacation season. The CBSI among manufacturers climbed 0.6 point to 103.8 in August from a month earlier, while the index for nonmanufacturing companies added 1.5 points to 96.7. The manufacturing index surpassed the 100 mark for the fourth consecutive month after topping the