Economic Bulletin | KDI 경제교육·정보센터

KDI 경제교육·정보센터

Economic Information and Education Center

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Economic Trends

The Green Book: Monthly Economic Trends

Executive Summary Industrial production continued to grow rapidly, expanding 13.5 percent on-year in May as semiconductor and audio-visual/telecommunications equipment output increased on the strength of surging exports. Wholesale and retail sales contracted 2.2 percent on-year in May mainly led by a decline in automobile and retail sales. Facility investment turned to rise, up 1.3 percent on-year in May as investment of machinery and telecommunications equipment increased. Exports surged 39.6 percent on-year to US$21.86 billion in June led by a strong performance of automobile/parts, semiconductors, wireless telecommunications and computers. Imports also increased 38.6 percent on-year in June to US$18.62 billion led by an increase in workdays and a substantial increase in oil imports. Consumer prices remained unchanged from the previous month in June as agricultural product prices decreased, while the cost of personal services and industrial goods climbed. The unemployment rate declined 0.1 percentage point on-month to 3.3 percent in May as the number of agricultural, forestry, fishery, business, and service sector workers increased. Long-term interest rates increased in mid-June and then declined as concerns about the delayed economic recovery mounted, to finish the month at 4.24 percent (unchanged from the previous month), including those for benchmark three-year government bonds. The KOSPI declined in June as the possibility of interest rates increasing in the U.S. and China became more likely. The KOSPI fell 18.05 points or 2.2 percent between the end of May and end of June to 785.79 points. * For further details, please refer to the attached file

Jul 2004