Global Leading Indicators

For Release 10:30 AM ET, July 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 0.2% to 110.3 (2016=100) in May 2025, after increasing by 0.8% in April. The LEI expanded by 1.7% over the six-month period between November 2024 and May 2025, a much faster rate than the 0.6% growth over the previous six-month period from May to November 2024.  

The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index^® (CEI) for South Korea decreased by 0.5% to 108.7 (2016=100) in May 2025, almost reversing the 0.6% increase in April. Despite the May decrease, the CEI expanded by 1.3% over the six-month period between November 2024 and May 2025, after contracting by 0.6% over the previous six-month period.

“The South Korea LEI continued to increase in May” said Malala Lin, Economic Research Associate, at The Conference Board. “In May, the increase in the LEI was driven by positive contributions from exports, stock prices, and government bonds yield. As a result, the semi-annual and annual growth rates also improved, indicating potentially more favorable economic conditions ahead. While the Korean economy continues to face potential headwinds related to trade tensions with the US, the recent presidential elections may help bolster confidence levels and economic performance.   Additionally, the Korean parliament recently approved a supplementary budget to support growth after GDP contraction in Q1. Overall, The Conference Board expects real GDP growth to improve in the second half of 2025 but to only reach 0.7% for the year.”

 The next release is scheduled for Thursday, August 7th, 2025, at 10:30 A.M. ET.

The South Korea LEI increased in May

The May gain in the Index was led by higher exports and stock prices

The South Korea LEI annual growth rate slightly improved in May

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