Monday 2 October 2006

South Korean exports, Japanese business sentiment up

The latest economic news from Asia point to continued growth.

Yesterday, AFP/CNA reported that South Korean exports hit a record high in September.

South Korea's exports jumped 22 percent year-on-year to hit a record high of some US$30 billion in September thanks to robust overseas demand, government data showed Sunday...

Imports also rose 22.8 percent year-on-year to US$27.90 billion in September, putting the trade surplus at US$2.03 billion, 13 percent up from a year earlier, the report said.

Today, we have news of improved business sentiment in Japan.

Sentiment among large manufacturers rose to plus 24 from plus 21 in June, the Bank of Japan said in its closely watched "Tankan" survey of almost 10,000 companies.

The figure was well above the 21 level expected by the market. A positive reading means that confident firms outweigh pessimistic ones.

That helped the Nikkei 225 rise 126.71 points to close at 16,254.29 today, but unlike the US and Europe, the Japanese stock market is still quite some way off its high for the year.

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