South Korean firms' business sentiment rebounded for the first time in five months in May as domestic consumption is showing signs of recovery thanks to emergency coronavirus relief funds. 

According to the Bank of Korea on Wednesday, the business survey index(BSI) for all industries came to 53 for the month, up two points from the previous month. The index had dropped for four straight months before plunging to the lowest point in over eleven years in April.

A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.   

The outlook index for all industries for next month also gained three points on-month to 53, rebounding for the first time in four months. 

The index for manufacturers, however, continued to worsen, dropping to 49, down three points from a month earlier. It marked the lowest since February 2009 when it posted 43. 

The BSI for non-manufacturers, which includes restaurants, wholesale and retail businesses, jumped six points to 56.