S. Korea's manufacturing sentiment stays positive for Q3

A majority of South Korean manufacturers expect further improvements in business conditions in the third quarter of the year on strong sales at home and abroad, a poll showed Tuesday.
The manufacturers' business survey index (BSI) for the July-September period came in at 111, slightly down from 115 for the second quarter of the year, according to the survey taken by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
The poll was conducted on 500 manufacturers from all industrial sectors through the Internet. A reading above 100 means optimists outnumber pessimists.
"The BSI for the third quarter registered a positive reading in all industrial sectors except nonmetallic and oil refinery industries, reflecting local companies' continued expectation for strong economic conditions," the ministry said in a press release.
The index for overall sales came to 115 with BSI readings for both domestic sales and exports remaining positive at 108 and 107, respectively.
For exports, semiconductor manufacturers registered the most positive outlook with a BSI reading of 162.
All other industrial sectors are also expected to remain strong in the next three months from July with the only exception being the nonmetallic-oil refinery industry, whose index came to 84.
Meanwhile, the poll also showed the BSI for actual business conditions in the April-June period came to 101, showing improving business conditions since the first quarter of the year when the figure was tallied at 96.