South Korea’s business sentiment rebounded in March for the first time in five months.

According to the Bank of Korea on Wednesday, the Business Survey Index(BSI) for all industries stood at 86-point-seven in March, up one-point-four points from the previous month. 

This marks the first rise after a downturn that began in November and lasted four months. 

A reading below 100 indicates that pessimists outnumber optimists.

The BSI for manufacturers rose one-point-eight points on-month to 91-point-nine in March.

The index for nonmanufacturing industries, which includes restaurants, wholesalers and retail businesses, gained one-point-two points and posted 82-point-nine.

But the BSI for April fell by two-point-four points from the previous month.