South Korea's consumer sentiment rose for the second month in a row in January as hopes are high for the government's economic stimulus measures for the new year, a central bank poll showed Friday.
The composite consumer sentiment index for this month stood at 97.5, up 0.6 point from a month earlier, according to the Bank of Korea. A reading below the long-term average of 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.
Last month, the index gained 1.2 points from a nearly two-year low of 95.7.
(Yonhap)
The BOK said more people expected the government's plans on encouraging corporate investment and supporting small merchants to help prop up the economy, which shows signs of a slowdown.
They were also boosted by the resumption of the U.S.-China trade talks and a recent rebound in the stock market, the central bank added.
The index measuring people's sentiment regarding current economic conditions, one of the key components for the index, rose three points to 65 in January. Their assessment of overall economic conditions for the next six months also increased four points to 76.
The BOK monthly index for December was based on a survey of 2,251 households throughout the country and was conducted from Jan. 10-17. (Yonhap)
