코로나 재확산한 11월, 소비 0.9%↓…기업심리, 12월 BSI 3개월만에 하락

The resurgence of COVID-19 in South Korea caused a decline in consumption for the second consecutive month.
The pandemic also led to a fall in business sentiment for the first time in three months.
Bae Eun-ji reports.
As COVID-19 resurged in South Korea in November, consumption fell for the second month in a row.
According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, retail sales fell 0-point-9 percent compared to the previous month.
The country had also seen a decline in consumption in October.
The statistics agency said the fall was mainly due to lower demand for winter clothes... amid a spell of relatively warm weather, and as many people refrained from going outside due to social distancing measures.
The overall industrial output edged up slightly by 0-point-7 percent in November, compared to the same period last month.
But this does not mean the economy has recovered completely... as compared to the same period last year, it was still down by 0-point-6 percent.
The rise was due to an increase in manufacturing of semiconductors and electronic components.
Facility investment also rose by 3-point-6 percent, a huge rebound from a 3-point-2 percent fall in the previous month.
The resurgence of COVID-19 also worsened business sentiment in the country.
Data from the Bank of Korea showed on Wednesday that the Business Sentiment Index in December stood at 75... falling for the first time in 3 months.
A figure below 100 indicates pessimists outnumber optimists.
Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.