SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment among South Korean businesses hit an 18-month low, boosting worry about economic recovery amid the worsened consumer confidence, central bank data showed Thursday.
The business sentiment index (BSI) stood at 74 in August, down 1 point from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
It marked the lowest since February last year, keeping a downward trend for three straight months. The figure below 100 indicates pessimists outnumbering optimists.
Concerns mounted about economic recovery amid the worsening consumer sentiment, which hit the lowest in 17 months this month.
The BSI among manufacturers shed 1 point over the month to 73 in August. The figure for non-manufacturers lost 2 points to 74 in the period.
The prospective BSI for September came in at 77, up 4 points from a month earlier. It marked the first rebound in three months as the government unveiled an expansionary budget plan for next year.
