South Korea Manufacturing PMI Falls To 49.1 - S&P Global

(RTTNews) - The manufacturing sector in South Korea continued to contract in March, and at a faster pace, the latest survey from S&P Global revealed on Tuesday with a manufacturing PMI score of 49.1.

That's down from 49.9 in February and it moves further beneath the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.

The main driver behind the negative headline figure was a renewed contraction in output in March. Production volumes decreased for the first time in 2025 and at a modest rate overall. In instances where a decrease in output was reported, manufacturers noted challenging domestic economic conditions and rising raw material prices.

Meanwhile, total new orders stalled at the end of the first quarter, following two months of marginal growth. On the other hand, firms continued to record improvements in foreign demand for manufactured goods, with the rate of increase in new export orders strengthening to the joint-highest level in just over three years.