The Bank of Korea released the April 2026 Business Survey and Economic Sentiment Index results, showing a modest improvement in business sentiment while the broader Economic Sentiment Index (ESI), which combines business and consumer sentiment, declined. The Composite Business Sentiment Index (CBSI) for all industries rose 0.8 points month on month to 94.9, and the outlook for the following month increased by 0.8 points to 93.9. Manufacturing CBSI increased by 2.0 points to 99.1, with its outlook up 2.1 points to 98.0, while non-manufacturing CBSI edged up 0.1 points to 92.1 and its outlook was unchanged at 91.2. The ESI fell 2.3 points to 91.7, and its cyclical component decreased 0.3 points to 94.4; the survey covered 3,524 companies between April 9 and 16, with 3,205 respondents.
Bank of Korea 2026-04-28
Bank of Korea publishes April 2026 survey showing firmer business sentiment but a lower Economic Sentiment Index
The Bank of Korea published its April 2026 Business Survey and Economic Sentiment Index, showing a modest improvement in business sentiment but a decline in the broader Economic Sentiment Index (ESI). The Composite Business Sentiment Index for all industries rose 0.8 points to 94.9, driven by a 2.0 point increase in manufacturing to 99.1, while the ESI fell 2.3 points to 91.7 and its cyclical component declined 0.3 points to 94.4.