South Korea is the only country that posted growth in a leading economic index of OECD member states.
 
According to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data on Sunday, the composite leading indicator (CLI) of economic activity for South Korea stood at 99-point-nine in April, up point-one percentage point from the previous month.
 
The indicator is designed to anticipate turning points in economic activity and a reading above 100 indicates economic expansion.
 
South Korea's CLI has been rising for eight consecutive months since September last year. The increase in the index for last month is attributed to rises in the country's main bourse and drops in inventories in the manufacturing industry.
 
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, other major economies witnessed sharp drops in the index, with the United States and Japan both slipping by point-four percentage points and Germany plunging three-point-one percentage points.

The OECD produces CLI figures for its 33 members and six emerging nations --China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia and South Africa, but the latest data included just 32 OECD members and five emerging nations.