SEOUL, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Confidence among South Korean consumers over economic situations worsened for the fifth consecutive month as the local currency appreciated to the U.S. dollar, central bank data showed Wednesday.
The composite consumer sentiment index (CCSI) stood at 107.1 in April, down 1.0 point from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The index declined for five months since December last year on worries that the domestic currency's ascent versus the greenback would reduce the repatriated value of export proceeds and weaken export competitiveness.
The year-over-year growth in employment in February and March hovered below 200,000, leading to the softened sentiment among consumers.
Sub-indices lost ground. The figures for current economic situation, prospective household income and prospective consumer expenditure fell this month.
Inflation expectations, which reflect outlook for consumer price inflation in the next 12 months, came to 2.5 percent in April, unchanged from the previous month.
