South Korea’s Business Survey Index for the manufacturing sector rose to 80 in May 2026 from 74 in the previous month, marking the highest reading since August 2022. The production index increased to 90 from 88, while the new orders index climbed to 87 from 85. Meanwhile, the inventories index rose to 100 from 97, and the financial conditions index improved to 79 from 76. The Economic Sentiment Index, which combines the Business Survey Index and the Consumer Survey Index, increased by 5.8 points to 97.5 in May. source: The Bank of Korea

Business Confidence in South Korea increased to 80 points in May from 74 points in April of 2026. Business Confidence in South Korea averaged 78.94 points from 1991 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 119.00 points in December of 1994 and a record low of 35.00 points in March of 1998. This page provides the latest reported value for - South Korea Business Confidence - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. South Korea Business Confidence - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Business Confidence in South Korea increased to 80 points in May from 74 points in April of 2026. Business Confidence in South Korea is expected to be 75.00 points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the South Korea Business Confidence is projected to trend around 75.00 points in 2027 and 80.00 points in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-04-27 09:00 PM
Business Confidence
Apr 74 71 69
2026-05-26 09:00 PM
Business Confidence
May 80 74 73
2026-06-24 09:00 PM
Business Confidence
Jun 80 75


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Business Confidence 80.00 74.00 points May 2026
Capacity Utilization 105.10 104.90 points Mar 2026
Car Production 361926.00 386363.00 Units Apr 2026
Car Registrations 151693.00 164810.00 Units Apr 2026
Changes in Inventories 2667.70 2945.00 KRW Billion Mar 2026
Coincident Index 116.20 115.50 points Mar 2026
Composite Leading Indicator 102.50 102.28 points Apr 2026
Corruption Index 63.00 64.00 Points Dec 2025
Corruption Rank 31.00 30.00 Dec 2025
Electricity Production 21758.64 21529.98 Gigawatt-hour Mar 2026
Industrial Production YoY 1.50 3.90 percent Apr 2026
Industrial Production MoM -0.70 0.60 percent Apr 2026
Leading Economic Index 126.40 125.20 points Mar 2026
Manufacturing Production YoY 4.00 -2.00 percent Mar 2026
Mining Production 2.70 -12.50 percent Mar 2026
New Orders 14453852.00 10250716.00 KRW Million Mar 2026
Steel Production 5200.00 5400.00 Thousand Tonnes Apr 2026


South Korea Business Confidence
In South Korea, the Business Survey Index (BSI) in the manufacturing sector measures the level of optimism that business leaders have about the performance of the economy in the current month and their outlook for the following month. The Index is based on the survey of around 2800 companies in fifteen areas including sales, inventories, production facilities, prices, labor force and profitability. For each of the indicators measured, the net difference between the number of positive responses and the number of negative responses is computed. The BSI above 100 indicates an improving outlook and below 100 a deteriorating outlook.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
80.00 74.00 119.00 35.00 1991 - 2026 points Monthly
NSA

News Stream
South Korea Business Confidence Nears 4-Year High
South Korea’s Business Survey Index for the manufacturing sector rose to 80 in May 2026 from 74 in the previous month, marking the highest reading since August 2022. The production index increased to 90 from 88, while the new orders index climbed to 87 from 85. Meanwhile, the inventories index rose to 100 from 97, and the financial conditions index improved to 79 from 76. The Economic Sentiment Index, which combines the Business Survey Index and the Consumer Survey Index, increased by 5.8 points to 97.5 in May.
2026-05-26
South Korea Business Mood Hits Near 2-Year High
South Korea’s Business Survey Index for the manufacturing sector rose to 74 in April 2026 from 71 in the previous month. This marked the highest reading since June 2024, reflecting improving sentiment across key operating conditions. The production index held at 88, matching March’s level and staying near recent highs, while the new orders index rose to 85 from 84, signaling a modest pickup in demand conditions. Meanwhile, the inventories index fell to 97 from 99, suggesting lower stock levels on firmer sales, while the financial situation index slipped to 76 from 77, showing financing conditions remained somewhat constrained. The Economic Sentiment Index, which combines the BSI and the Consumer Survey Index, fell to 91.7 in April, down 2.3 points from March, pointing to softer overall economic confidence.
2026-04-27
South Korea Business Sentiment Deteriorates in March
South Korea's Business Survey Index for the manufacturing sector stood at 71 in March, down from 72 in February. Production rose to 88 from 85, new orders increased to 84 from 81, inventories moved to 101 from 100, and the financial situation moved to 79 from 80. Meanwhile, the Economic Sentiment Index, which combines the BSI and the Consumer Survey Index, fell to 94.0 in March, down 4.8 points from February, reflecting a decrease in overall economic confidence.
2026-03-26