The S&P Global South Korea manufacturing PMI showed conditions in the sector remain subdued but steady in November, with the survey's headline index increasing slightly to 50.0 from 49.8 in October. Respondents also remain positive about the outlook for the next twelve months.

Survey respondents reported steady output and payrolls, a smaller decline in new orders, and a bigger fall in new export orders in November. The survey's measure of business confidence remains positive but fell from its previous level. Respondents reported input costs rose at a slower but still solid pace in November and that they increased selling prices at the fastest pace since the start of the year.

The Purchasing Managers' Manufacturing Index (PMI) is based on monthly questionnaire surveys of selected companies which provide an advance indication of what is really happening in the private sector economy by tracking changes in variables such as output, new orders, stock levels, employment and prices across the manufacturing sectors.

Investors need to keep their fingers on the pulse of the economy because it dictates how various types of investments will perform. By tracking economic data such as the purchasing managers' manufacturing indexes, investors will know what the economic backdrop is for the various markets. The stock market likes to see healthy economic growth because that translates to higher corporate profits. The bond market prefers less rapid growth and is extremely sensitive to whether the economy is growing too quickly and causing potential inflationary pressures.

The Markit PMI manufacturing data give a detailed look at the manufacturing sector, how busy it is and where things are headed. Since the manufacturing sector is a major source of cyclical variability in the economy, this report has a big influence on the markets. And its sub-indexes provide a picture of orders, output, employment and prices.