Consumer sentiment slightly worsens in Dec.

South Korea's consumer sentiment slightly deteriorated from a month earlier in December but remained positive for a second consecutive month, central bank data showed Friday.

The composite consumer sentiment index came to 100.4 in the month, compared with 100.9 in November, according to the data from the Bank of Korea.

A reading above 100 means optimists outnumber pessimists.

The index remained above 100 for a second-straight month after breaching the benchmark for the first time in the seven months since May.

Those surveyed predicted their own living conditions to deteriorate down the road, with the index measuring their outlook on their future conditions slipping to 94 in December from 95 the month before.

However, the respondents anticipated improved conditions for the whole economy with the index for their outlook on economic conditions climbing to 82 from 81 over the cited period.

The central bank earlier estimated Asia's fourth-largest economy to grow 2.3 percent in 2020, following an estimated 2 percent on-year growth this year.

The monthly survey was conducted Dec. 10-Dec. 17, involving 2,353 households throughout the country. (Yonhap)