2023.03.0123:40:00UTC+00South Korea Manufacturing PMI Unchanged At 48.5 In February - S&P Global

The manufacturing sector in South Korea continued to contract in February, and at a steady pace, the latest survey from S&P Global revealed on Thursday with a manufacturing PMI score of 48.5.

That was unchanged from the January reading, and it remains beneath the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.

Order book volumes declined for the eighth month in a row in February, although the rate of reduction eased to the softest for three months. Subdued demand reportedly stemmed from weak domestic and global economic conditions and inflationary pressures, often caused by exchange rate weakness.

As such, the latter was cited as a key driving force behind the latest drop in demand from overseas. New export orders have now fallen consistently for a year, though the rate of contraction was the softest since last November.