Korea's industrial output increased once again in April after the rebound in March,... but retail sales were poor because of a slump in sales of home appliances and electronics.
Kim Da-mi has the details.
South Korea's industrial output was up for the second month in a row in April.
Statistics Korea said on Friday, the figure rose zero-point-seven percent last month,... thanks to the increased production of semiconductors and petroleum and stronger activity in the service sector.
Industrial output had rebounded one-point-five percent on-month in March after falling two-point-seven percent in February.
Semiconductor production rose six-point-five percent in April from a month earlier after new mobile phone releases,... while production in the oil refinement sector was up eleven-point-two percent.
Sales growth in machinery also led to a four-point-six percent spike in facility investment... despite the drop in the automobile sector.
Production in the service sector went up zero-point-three percent on-month.
Retail sales, however, dropped one-point-two percent during the same period because of fewer sales of home appliances and electronics.
Back in March, fine dust pollution led to strong sales of domestic appliances like air purifiers.
As well as poor retail sales in April,... Korea's composite consumer sentiment fell in May for the first time in about half a year.
The Bank of Korea said on Tuesday, the figure stood at 97-point-9... down 3-point-7 points from the month before.
The BOK attributed the fall to negative responses to the escalating U.S.-China trade war, sluggish domestic economic growth and falling stock prices.
Kim Da-mi, Arirang News.