Korea: Industrial activity falls at sharpest rate since October 2020 in September
Industrial output dropped 1.8% year-on-year in September, contrasting August’s 9.7% increase. September’s outturn marked the worst reading since October 2020. The slowdown was largely driven by a slump in manufacturing output, amid weaker domestic and foreign demand. Meanwhile, capacity utilization was also lower amid reports of shortages of raw materials and other supply disruptions.
On a monthly basis, industrial production dropped 0.8% in seasonally-adjusted terms in September, which was below August’s 0.7% fall. Meanwhile, annual average industrial production growth fell to 5.6% in September (August: +6.3%). This signals a worsening trend in the industrial sector.