SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's business sentiment contracted in September from a nearly four-year high in August, largely due to increased costs, a central bank survey showed Tuesday.
The Composite Business Sentiment Index (CBSI) for all industries stood at 99.1 in September, down 0.5 point from the previous month, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The reading rose to the highest level in August since September 2022, after the COVID-19 pandemic, with the index reaching 102.
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, improved, while the manufacturing sector suffered a decline in the business sentiment.
The CBSI among manufacturers stood at 99.5 this month, down from 103.8 the previous month, while the index for nonmanufacturing companies increased to 98.9 from 96.7 over the cited period.
The outlook for October stood at 99.6, unchanged from the previous month, the survey showed.
In this file photo, containers are stacked at a port in the southeastern port city of Busan on July 15, 2026. (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
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