The latest monthly poll may cement views among economists that the BOK will keep its benchmark interest rate at a restrictive 3.5% when the board meets Thursday. Governor Rhee Chang-yong said last month the BOK was wary of adding fuel to the housing market in Seoul with signals for a cut that might spur increases in household debt.
Apartment prices in the Seoul area rose 0.32% last week, the biggest weekly gain since September of 2018.
Most economists have pushed their expected timing for a policy pivot to October from August. The government has also announced a series of measures to boost housing supply in a bid to cool the rise in apartment prices in Seoul and its surrounding areas, where demand for newer middle-class residences has largely returned to levels seen during the pandemic.
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The overall consumer sentiment index edged down by 2.8 points to 100.8 in August, according to the BOK. The threshold dividing optimism and pessimism is 100.
Chart: Bloomberg
