韩国12月工厂活动恢复扩张 制造商乐观情绪为三年半最高

Core Insights - South Korea's factory activity expanded in December, ending two months of contraction, driven by a rebound in export demand and the most optimistic sentiment among manufacturers in three and a half years [1][2] Economic Indicators - The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for South Korea in December was 50.1, slightly above the neutral line of 50, compared to 49.4 in the previous two months [1][2] - The economy grew at its fastest pace in nearly four years in Q3, supported by strong exports and a rebound in consumption [1][2] Orders and Production - December saw the first increase in new orders in three months, marking the largest increase since November 2024, with export orders also recovering [1][2] - Production continued to decline for the third consecutive month, but the rate of decline narrowed compared to the previous month [1][2] Short-term Indicators - Other short-term indicators showed improvement in demand, with the increase in input purchases being the largest since August 2024, and the decline in finished goods inventory being the largest since May 2025 [1][2] Business Sentiment - Companies' optimism for the coming year reached its highest level since May 2022, driven by expectations of business expansion and new product launches, particularly in the automotive and semiconductor sectors [1][2] Inflation and Costs - Input prices rose at the fastest rate since July 2022 due to a weakening currency, leading to a rebound in output inflation to a nine-month high after a decline in the previous month [1][2]