Korea’s account surplus reaches USD 7.9bn in July

Solid goods trade balance expected until year-end.

In Korea, following the recent release of July balance of payments data, the current account surplus remained very steady compared to the previous month, at USD 7.9bn.

According to a research note from DBS, with the surplus accumulating USD 47bn in the first seven months of this year, the full-year CA number should be easy to reach DBS’ forecast of USD 69bn (4.7% of GDP).

Goods trade balance is expected to remain strong in the remaining months of this year as the recovery in exports proceeds and oil import prices retreat.

Here’s more from DBS:

On the other hand, the deficit of the financial account narrowed notably to USD 3.1bn in July from USD 6.0bn in June.

Inward portfolio investment in equities increased USD 3.9bn, sustaining positive flows for the fourth consecutive month since April.

By contrast, foreign investment in debt securities registered outflows for the third month in a row (USD 1.5bn).

The process of portfolio reallocation from bonds towards equities is expected to continue in the months ahead, amid rising expectations about Korea's growth recovery and fading expectations about BOK rate cuts.

The people you want to reach are already in this room.

Every quarter, SBR lands on the desks of the founders, CFOs, and directors running Asia's most consequential companies. Every day, they open our newsletter and read our website. It's a room that took twenty years to build — and it's the one most of our partners are trying to get into.

The good news is that the door is open. We work with companies on thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. The shape of the right partnership depends on what you're trying to do, which is why we'd rather start with a conversation than send a rate card.

If you have something this room should know about, tell us. We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how.

No rate cards until we understand the brief. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia