SEOUL, Apr. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s producer prices rose for the fourth consecutive month in March, driven in part by soaring prices of agricultural goods and industrial goods, central bank data showed Tuesday. The producer price index, a major barometer of consumer inflation, increased 0.2 percent in March from a month earlier, following [...]
SEOUL, Apr. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s exports rose 11.1 percent on-year in the first 20 days of April on surging global demand for semiconductors, data showed Monday. Outbound shipments reached US$35.82 billion in the April 1-20 period, compared with $32.25 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs [...]
WASHINGTON, April 19 (Korea Bizwire) – The won-dollar exchange rate may move toward stabilization if tensions in the Middle East do not escalate further, the chief of South Korea’s central bank forecast Friday, noting “many uncertainties” stemming from developments in the region. Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Rhee Chang-yong made the prediction as concerns over [...]
WASHINGTON, Apr. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Exchange rate volatility does not present ‘significant” economic challenges to South Korea, an official at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Thursday, advising policymakers in Seoul not to “overly” focus on what moves the U.S. Federal Reserve will take. During a press briefing, Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMF’s [...]
SEOUL, Apr. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean economy has largely been on a recovery track on the back of robust growth of exports and manufacturing production, but domestic demand remains weak and uncertainties have grown over global prices of raw materials, the finance ministry said Friday. “Our economy has seen an economic recovery [...]
SEOUL, Apr. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s central bank froze its key rate for the 10th straight session Friday, saying that its current restrictive stance will be maintained for a sufficient period of time amid woes over high inflation and household debt. In a widely expected decision, the monetary policy board of the Bank [...]
SEOUL, Apr. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s inflation stayed over 3 percent for the second consecutive month in March on record prices of fruits and rising global oil prices, data showed Tuesday. Consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, rose 3.1 percent on-year last month, following a 3.2 percent increase the previous month, according [...]
SEOUL, Mar. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s industrial output rose for the fourth consecutive month in February on the back of increasing semiconductor production, but retail sales fell amid high inflation, data showed Friday. Industrial output increased 1.3 percent on-month last month, following a 0.4 percent rise the previous month, according to the data [...]
SEOUL, Mar. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has failed to be added to the World Government Bond Index (WGBI) run by FTSE Russell, the London-based organization said Thursday. South Korea will remain on its watch list for a potential upgrade to a market accessibility level of 2 from 1 and consideration for inclusion in [...]
SEOUL, Mar. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s financial system remains relatively stable, but debt payment burden and asset deterioration may increase amid extended monetary tightening, a central bank report showed Thursday. In its report on financial stability, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said despite woes over a possible rise in soured property development-related loans [...]