Global Leading Indicators

For Release 10:30 AM ET, June 10, 2025

Using the Composite Indexes: The Leading Economic Index (LEI) provides an early indication of significant turning points in the business cycle and where the economy is heading in the near term. The Coincident Economic Index (CEI) provides an indication of the current state of the economy. Additional details are below.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index^®(LEI) for South Korea increased by 0.6% to 109.9 (2016=100) in April 2025, more than offsetting the 0.4% decrease in March. The LEI increased by 0.9% over the six-month period between October 2024 and April 2025, a similar growth rate as the 1.0% over the previous six-month period from April to October 2024.  

The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index^® (CEI) for South Korea also increased by 0.6% to 109.4 (2016=100) in April 2025, reversing a 0.6% decrease in March. The CEI expanded by 1.3% over the six-month period between October 2024 and April 2025, after no growth over the previous six-month period.

“The South Korea LEI rebounded in April” said Malala Lin, Economic Research Associate, at The Conference Board. “The South Korea LEI has been very volatile in recent months alternating ups and downs. The April rebound was driven by improvements in 5 of the 6 components of the LEI. As a result, the semi-annual and annual growth rates also improved, indicating potentially more favorable economic conditions ahead. While uncertainty from trade tensions among South Korea’s key trade partners still cloud the global environment, a policy-focus on the economy by the newly elected President Lee Jae-myung is expected to mitigate potential risks. Since stepping into office last week, the President has already announced fiscal stimulus to support growth and has been actively negotiating a trade deal with the US. Overall, after the Q1 2025 contraction, The Conference Board expects real GDP growth to improve in the near-term.”

The next release is scheduled for Thursday, July 10th, 2025, at 10:30 A.M. ET.

The South Korea LEI increased in April

The April gain in the Index was led by improvements in almost all components of the LEI

The South Korea LEI annual growth rate slightly improved in April

About The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) and Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) for South Korea
The composite economic indexes are key elements in an analytic system designed to signal peaks and troughs in the business cycle. Comprised of multiple independent indicators, the indexes are constructed to summarize and reveal common turning points in the economy in a clearer and more convincing manner than any individual component.

The CEI reflects current economic conditions and is highly correlated with real GDP. The LEI is a predictive tool that anticipates—or “leads”—turning points in the business cycle by around three months.

The six components of the Leading Economic Index® for South Korea are:

• Stock Prices
• Yield of Government Public Bonds
• Real Exports FOB (3-month moving average)
• Value of Machinery Orders
• Index of Inventories to Shipments
• Private Construction Orders

The four components of the Coincident Economic Index® for South Korea are:

• Industrial Production
• Wholesale and Retail Sales
• Total Employment
• Monthly Cash Earnings

To access data, please visit: https://data-central.conference-board.org/

About The Conference Board

The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead^®. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. ConferenceBoard.org