The government has assessed that uncertainties surrounding domestic demand remain amid the recent flare-up of COVID-19 cases. 

The Finance Ministry made the judgment in its monthly economic evaluation report called the “Green Book” released on Friday. 

The report said that, while the nation saw brisk exports and improvement in the labor market despite the spike in cases, uncertainties related to domestic demand persisted, particularly in terms of in-person services.

The report said credit card spending rose a little over seven percent on-year in August and department store sales surged more than 14 percent, posting double-digit growth for the first time in two months. Online shopping transactions climbed more than 37 percent. 

However, sales at discount stores slipped two-point-five percent and sales of domestic automobiles at home shrank roughly seven percent, posting a decline for the sixth consecutive month. 

The composite consumer sentiment index also dipped point-seven points to 102-point-five in August.