FX.co ★ South Korea Manufacturing Contracts for 2nd Month

The S&P Global South Korea Manufacturing PMI dropped to 49.1 in March 2025, down from 49.9 in February, reflecting a second consecutive month of sector contraction. Output volumes saw a decline for the first time in three months as domestic demand remained stagnant. However, international sales surged, growing at their fastest rate since January 2024. Despite this positive trend in international sales, employment levels continued to fall for the fifth consecutive month, and overall business confidence for the upcoming year dipped to its second-lowest point since December 2022. Economist Usamah Bhatti from S&P Global Market Intelligence highlighted that firms are increasingly concerned about ongoing domestic weaknesses and global trade pressures that are adversely affecting both output and demand.