Biz sentiment for Oct. still remains weak: survey

SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean corporate sentiment still remains weak for October due to the slowing global economy and ongoing trade tensions, a local think tank said Monday.

The business survey index (BSI) of the country's top 600 companies by sales came to 97.2 for next month, up from 87.8 this month. But it was still below 100, the Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI) said in a statement.

KERI is a think tank that belongs to the Federation of Korean Industries.

A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists, while a figure above the benchmark means the opposite.

The business index has stayed below 100 for 53 consecutive months since April 2015, when it came to 101.3, the statement said.

Next month, the United States and China, the world's two biggest economies, are set to resume trade talks to bridge a gap running deep between them over tariffs and other trade issues.

But it remains to be seen whether they could come up with any improvement or breakthrough.

Also, South Korea and Japan have been engaged in a monthslong trade tussle sparked by Tokyo's abrupt export curbs on key industrial materials to its Asian neighbor.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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