South Korea: South Korea's producer prices declined for the first time in six months in April amid falling global oil prices, central bank data showed Friday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the producer price index, a major barometer of consumer inflation, reached 120.24 last month, down 0.1 percent from 120.36 in March, based on preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). This marked the first decline since October 2024, when the figure slid by the same margin.

On a yearly basis, however, April's reading logged a 0.9 percent increase, marking the 21st consecutive month of an on-year rise, the data showed. Producer prices are one of the key indicators that determine the trajectory of inflation, as they influence the prices businesses charge consumers in the months ahead.