Group 1 - The business confidence index in South Korea remains low, with the October index for the top 600 companies at 96.3, indicating a pessimistic outlook among businesses for 43 consecutive months [1] - The manufacturing sector's index is at 96.8, slightly higher than the non-manufacturing sector's 95.8, showing a divergence in performance within the manufacturing industry [3] - The electronics and communications equipment industry leads with an index of 115.8, while the automotive transportation equipment industry is at 102.9, both in the optimistic range [3] Group 2 - The petrochemical and chemical industries face significant pressure, with a low index of 93.5, indicating ongoing struggles in these sectors [3] - The construction industry's index is notably low at 82.2, and the leisure and accommodation sector is at 92.9, both below the overall average, reflecting weak domestic demand [5] - The current economic situation in South Korea shows an imbalance, with export-oriented industries like semiconductors, automobiles, and shipbuilding performing well, while others like petrochemicals and steel remain sluggish [5] Group 3 - Experts highlight that weakened business investment intentions amid external uncertainties could pose challenges to economic growth [7] - There is a pressing need to stimulate domestic demand and promote balanced development across various industries to address the current economic challenges [7] - As international conditions evolve, South Korean companies must actively respond to challenges and seek new growth opportunities [7]

Group 1 - The business sentiment index for large enterprises in Japan has turned pessimistic for the first time in over a year, dropping to -1.9, indicating more companies perceive a worsening business environment than those that see improvement [1][3] - The manufacturing sector's index plummeted to -4.8, marking a five-quarter low, with significant declines in the automotive, parts, and steel industries [3] - The non-manufacturing index reported at -0.5, the first negative value since Q3 2022, primarily dragged down by the retail and communications sectors [3] Group 2 - The latest data highlights increasing concerns among Japanese companies regarding the uncertainty of U.S. trade policies, particularly following Trump's tariff increases [3] - The automotive manufacturers and parts suppliers' index fell sharply from 8.8 to -16.1, while the steel industry index dropped from 0 to -29.1, reflecting the direct impact of U.S. tariffs [3] - Despite the Bank of Japan's governor reiterating intentions to raise interest rates when conditions allow, the dismal data may lead to more cautious policy deliberations [3]