2026.04.1002:00:00UTC+00South Korea’s Consumer Sentiment Slips in April as PCSI Falls Below 45

South Korea’s consumer confidence weakened in April 2026, with the Thomson Reuters IPSOS Primary Consumer Sentiment Index (PCSI) dropping to 44.86, down from 49.99 in March 2026. The latest reading, updated on 10 April 2026, reflects a month‑over‑month deterioration in sentiment, reversing the relatively stronger position seen in the previous month.

The shift marks a notable decline in the index, which had hovered just below the neutral 50-point threshold in March before sliding further into negative territory in April. On a month-over-month basis, the “Actual” comparison shows that sentiment has worsened compared to March, while the “Previous” comparison captures how March’s change itself related to February, providing context for the latest downturn in confidence.

The move lower in the April PCSI suggests South Korean households are feeling more cautious about economic conditions than they were a month earlier, an important signal for investors and policymakers who track consumer sentiment as a leading indicator of spending and growth trends.