Why did Korea’s business sentiment improve for the fourth quarter of 2026?

The improvement was driven by robust exports of semiconductors and cosmetics. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the manufacturing BSI rose to 86 for October-December, with semiconductor sentiment reaching 139 and cosmetics sentiment climbing to 120.

What did the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry survey say about semiconductor and cosmetics sectors?

The semiconductor sector recorded a BSI of 139, the highest since the survey began, and remained above 100 for a fourth straight quarter. Cosmetics rose 20 points to 120, while medical and precision equipment reached 108.

What profit outlook did manufacturers report for 2026?

60.4 percent of companies expected their operating profits to fall short of their original targets for the year. They blamed higher production costs, especially elevated raw material and energy prices.

Biz sentiment for Q4 improves on robust semiconductor, cosmetics exports: poll

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Summary

Korea’s business sentiment improved for the fourth quarter on robust semiconductor and cosmetics exports, a survey showed Sunday. The business survey index for 2,413 manufacturing companies nationwide rose to 86 for October-December, up 6 points from the previous quarter, according to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Semiconductor sentiment hit 139, the highest since the survey began, while 60.4 percent of companies expected profits to fall short of targets.

Key Facts

The business survey index for 2,413 manufacturing companies nationwide stood at 86 for the October-December period, up 6 points from the previous quarter.
A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists, while a figure above 100 indicates the opposite.
The semiconductor sector posted a reading of 139 for the fourth quarter, the highest since the survey began, and stayed above the benchmark for the fourth consecutive quarter.
The cosmetics sector index rose 20 points to 120, and the medical and precision equipment sector gained 28 points to 108.
Despite the better outlook, 60.4 percent of companies said their operating profits this year would likely fall short of targets set at the beginning of the year, citing higher production costs from elevated raw material and energy prices.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 27, 2026 12:35 pm KST

Containers are stacked at a port in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Sept. 6. Yonhap

Korea's business sentiment improved for the fourth quarter of this year on robust exports of semiconductors and cosmetics, a survey showed Sunday.

The business survey index (BSI) for 2,413 manufacturing companies nationwide stood at 86 for the October-December period, up 6 points from the previous quarter, according to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists, while a figure above the benchmark indicates the opposite.

The index for the semiconductor sector posted a reading of 139 for the fourth quarter, the highest since the survey began, remaining above the benchmark for the fourth consecutive quarter.

The index for the cosmetics sector rose 20 points to 120, while that for the medical and precision equipment sector gained 28 points to 108.

Despite improving business sentiment, 60.4 percent of companies expected their operating profits this year to fall short of targets set at the beginning of the year, mainly due to higher production costs driven by elevated raw material and energy prices.

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