This just in from the latest KEI bulletin. ROK GDP growth rate in the first quarter was at 4.6%, up from -5.3% in the fourth quarter of 1998. The unemployment rate peaked at 8.5% in February but was down to 7.2% in April. The turnaround is for real, however robust it might be.
The main stock market index was at 313 last June. In April it was at 721. Wheeeeeee!
BTW, I am going to be taking a breather for a couple of weeks from this list due to increased demands on my time. I think the discussions have been very high quality and stimulating recently and I applaud Doug for doing a good job with the list.
(aside to Brad DeL.: The new demands are not from your folks; they supposedly have the corrected galleys in their hot hands as of today (thanks).)
Behave yourselves while I'm gone, folks! Barkley Rosser