South Korea's business sentiment rose to a more than four-year high in October, driven by solid confidence in manufacturing and an improved outlook in nonmanufacturing, a central bank survey showed Thursday. The Composite Business Sentiment Index (CBSI) for all industries stood at 104.2 in October, up 5.1 points from the previous month, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The reading marked the highest level since August 2022, when the index recorded 105.5 after the COVID-19 pandemic. The index measures corporate outlooks on overall business conditions, with a reading below 100 indicating that pessimists outnumber optimists. "Increased investment and production in major sectors, including semiconductors, automobiles and shipbuilding, boosted related upstream industries," a BOK official said. "A strengthening Korean won also helped local firms ease the financial burden of purchasing imported raw materials." The CBSI among manufacturers climbed 6.1 points on-month to 105.6 in October, marking the highest point in more than four years since June 2022, when the reading stood at 10