South Korea's business sentiment index remained pessimistic for October due to concerns of high interest rates and weak domestic demand, a poll showed Thursday. The business survey index (BSI) for the country's top 600 companies by sales stood at 96.2 for next month, according to the monthly poll by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI). A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists, while a figure above the benchmark means the opposite. The index has remained below 100 since April 2022. The BSI for the manufacturing industry came to 96.4 for October while the index for the nonmanufacturing was recorded at 96. An FKI official said there have been positive signs driven by exports of tech and automotive goods but they have been limited to a few industries, while most companies remain burdened by weak demand and high interest rates. "With prolonged domestic market stagnation due to shrinking consumer spending, economic recovery in the fourth quarter remains uncertain," the official added, em phasizing the need to avoid moves to introduce regulatory legislation. Source: Yonhap News Agency