According to Bank of Korea figures issued on Tuesday, the GDP grew 1.8% between January and March compared to the preceding three months, slightly more quickly than the earlier estimate of 1.7%. The figure indicated the fastest quarterly growth rate since the 2021 fourth quarter.
According to a Bloomberg Report, stronger infrastructure investment and private consumption were the primary drivers of the upward revision, while surging semiconductor shipments contributed to a 5.9% increase in exports over the previous quarter.
Also Read: Bank Nifty Outlook: Rangebound index lacks conviction at higher levels
The information supports the idea that South Korea’s economy is still benefiting from the global AI growth. SK Hynix Inc. announced a five-fold increase in quarterly earnings when the BOK released its initial GDP estimate in April, as rising memory-chip prices highlighted the strength of AI-related demand.
As spending on both goods and services grew, private consumption expanded by 0.6% and facilities investment increased by 6.6%, both of which were revised up from the initial estimate. Government spending decreased by 0.4% while construction investment rose by 1.4%.
Separately, the BOK increased its forecast for economic growth in 2025, stating that real GDP grew by 1.1% last year as opposed to a prior projection of 1%.
The board’s dot plot contained predictions for the benchmark rate as high as 3.25% in the upcoming six months, although two board members dissented in favour of raising rates last month.
According to Shin, the trade-offs that usually complicate monetary policy decisions are lessening as inflation, growth, the exchange rate, and housing-related financial risks all point in the same direction.
(Edited by : Juviraj Anchil)
More details here…
