BANGKOK, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's business sentiment fell sharply in April, dragged down by weaker confidence among the non-manufacturing and export-oriented manufacturing sectors amid global trade tensions, the central bank said on Friday.
The Southeast Asian country's business sentiment index (BSI) was recorded at 47.1 last month, plummeting from 50.2 in March, as most components of the index declined.
The manufacturing index saw a steep drop, particularly in the production sub-indices, as concerns surrounding U.S. tariffs significantly eroded respondents' confidence in export-oriented manufacturing industries, the central bank said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the non-manufacturing index declined across several businesses, especially in the real estate sector, as a powerful earthquake in late March deferred the transfer of ownership for high-rise properties.
The three-month expected BSI plunged to 48.9 in April from 50.7 a month earlier due to a fall in nearly all components and businesses, led by the electrical appliance industry, where respondents experienced a substantial reduction in production and performance sub-indices.
The reading was based on a survey of 700 respondents from large and medium-sized firms. ■
