S.Korea's business sentiment falls in October

SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment among South Korean businesses over economic situations fell in October due to rising worries about the economic downturn, central bank data showed on Wednesday.

The business survey index (BSI) in all industries retreated 2 points from a month earlier to 76 in October, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The worsened sentiment came as interest rate hikes in major economies boosted concerns about an economic slump amid the still-high inflation.

The BSI among manufacturers shed 2 points over the month to 72 in October, while the index for non-manufacturers declined 2 points to 79.

Manufacturers viewed higher commodity prices, economic uncertainties and volatility in the foreign exchange market as key barriers to their business, while non-manufacturers selected economic uncertainties and higher costs for raw materials and personnel.

The economic sentiment index (ESI), which reflects sentiment among both businesses and consumers, stood at 95.5 in October, down 2.5 points from the previous month.

The index below 100 indicates pessimists outnumbering optimists. It was based on a survey of 1,657 manufacturers and 1,129 non-manufacturers conducted on Oct. 11-18.