South Korea’s Thomson Reuters IPSOS Primary Consumer Sentiment Index (PCSI) recorded a marginal decline in October 2026, signaling a slight softening in consumer confidence. The index eased to 44.06 in October from 44.27 in September 2026, based on data updated on 16 October 2026.
On a month-over-month basis, the October reading reflects a small pullback compared with September, when sentiment had stood at 44.27. The current “Actual” figure thus captures a modest deterioration in confidence relative to the previous month, while the “Previous” comparison describes how September’s change related to August, highlighting the ongoing short-term fluctuations in South Korean consumer sentiment.
Although the movement is minor, the index remains below the 50-point threshold that often separates pessimistic from optimistic outlooks, suggesting South Korean consumers are still relatively cautious about economic conditions heading into the final quarter of 2026.
