Seoul shares down 0.15 pct in late-morning trade

South Korean stocks traded 0.15 percent lower late Friday morning, led by losses in techs and builders, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slipped 2.88 points to 1,872.60 as of 11:20 a.m.

Market behemoth Samsung Electronics lost 1.39 percent, and top chipmaker SK hynix shed 1.37 percent. Top flat panel maker LG Display moved down 0.19 percent.

Builders also traded bearish, with Hyundai Engineering & Construction losing 2.11 percent and Daewoo Engineering & Construction falling 0.71 percent. Daelim Industrial shed 1.1 percent.

The local currency was changing hands at 1,125.80 won against the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 0.5 won from Thursday's close. (Yonhap News)