S. Korea's industrial output falls in September

SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's industrial output fell last month due to lower production in semiconductors and weaker domestic demand, statistical office data showed Thursday.

The seasonally-adjusted production index in all industries, which exclude the agriculture, livestock and fishery sector, shrank 0.3 percent in September from a month earlier after expanding 1.3 percent in August, according to Statistics Korea.

Production among manufacturers lost 0.1 percent in September on a monthly basis after soaring 4.4 percent in the previous month.

Semiconductor output declined 2.6 percent, but production for machinery equipment and electronic parts increased in single digits.

The ratio of inventory to shipment in the manufacturing industry slipped 3.5 percentage points from a month earlier to 106.8 percent in September.

Manufacturers posted an average capacity ratio of 73.5 percent in September, down 0.8 percentage points compared to the prior month.

Production in the construction industry shed 0.1 percent last month, keeping a downward trend for the fifth straight month amid lingering concerns about the real estate market slump.

Output in the public administration sector rebounded 2.6 percent in September after reducing 1.1 percent in August.

Output in the service industry diminished 0.7 percent in September from a month earlier, turning downward in four months on the back of weaker domestic demand.

The seasonally-adjusted retail sale index, which reflects private consumption, dwindled 0.4 percent in September on a monthly basis after growing 1.7 percent in the previous month.

Facility investment advanced 8.4 percent last month after decreasing 5.1 percent in the prior month.

The cyclical variation factor for leading economic indicators, which gauges the outlook for future economic situations, stood unchanged at 100.6 in September compared to the previous month.

The reading for coincident economic indicators, which measures the current economic condition, declined 0.1 point to 98.2 in the cited month.