South Korea's business confidence index rose in March, buoyed by a weaker won and the inauguration of President Lee Myung-bak, who aims to boost the economy's growth, an industry survey showed Wednesday.
The monthly business survey index, an indicator of companies' outlook for the coming month, was 102.1 in March, compared with 94.3 the month before, the Federation of Korean Industries said in the survey.
However, concerns remain over the strength of South Korea's exports because of the global downturn and rising commodity prices ranging from oil to soybeans, the corporate lobby group said.
A reading above 100 means optimists outnumber pessimists.
On Monday, President Lee, 66, started his single five-year term with pledges to increase economic growth by 7 percent a year, double per capita income to US$40,000, and lift the economy to the seventh-largest in the world from its current 13th place. (Yonhap)