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The business outlook for domestic manufacturing companies in the third quarter of this year has improved slightly compared to the previous quarter, driven by a strong performance in the semiconductor and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors.
According to the Business Survey Index (BSI) for the third quarter of 2026, released by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on June 29 after surveying 2,470 manufacturing firms nationwide, the manufacturing BSI stood at 80, up 4 points from the previous quarter (76).
The BSI for export-oriented companies rose by 16 points, from 70 to 86, while the index for companies focused on the domestic market remained unchanged from the previous quarter at 78.
A BSI reading above 100 indicates that more companies view the business environment for the quarter positively compared to the previous one, while a reading below 100 suggests the opposite.
By sector, semiconductors recorded the highest figure at 113, remaining above the baseline of 100 for the third consecutive quarter.
This was followed by cosmetics (100), shipbuilding (95), electronics and telecommunications (93), and electrical equipment (92).
In particular, the electronics and telecommunications sector saw the largest increase, with its BSI rising 16 points from the previous quarter, fueled by growing demand for circuit boards and multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) used in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.
In contrast, the non-metallic mineral sector, which includes cement, ready-mixed concrete, and glass, recorded the lowest level at 61, a decline of 18 points from the previous quarter. The oil refining and petrochemical sectors also remained sluggish, with a BSI of 64.
By company size, business outlooks for large corporations (88) and medium-sized enterprises (86) improved, while the index for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remained at the same level as the previous quarter at 78.
Of the responding companies, 55.6% stated that they had revised their management plans for the second half of the year due to the repercussions of the war in the Middle East.
Key areas of revision included pricing and supply unit costs (59.3%), procurement volume and methods for raw materials (56.4%), operating expenses (41.5%), and production volume and capacity utilization rates (32.1%).
Kang Min-jae, head of the Economic Policy Team at the KCCI, analyzed, "While the business outlook for manufacturing companies is improving, the trend of high oil prices and high exchange rates, along with supply chain instability stemming from uncertainties in the Middle East, is increasing the management burden across the manufacturing sector."
He added, "The government needs to concentrate its policy capabilities on managing exchange rate volatility and stabilizing the supply and demand of raw materials, and prepare support measures to alleviate the burden on companies caused by fluctuations in energy and raw material prices."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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