Seoul shares start tad higher on eased Europe woes

South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Tuesday on eased eurozone debt concerns ahead of a meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB), analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 2.99 points, or 0.16 percent, to 1,846.78 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Shares traded mixed with market bellwether Samsung Electronics rising 1.49 percent and the country's biggest carmaker Hyundai Motor falling 0.43 percent.

There are expectations that European policymakers will come up with strong measures to save the euro at an ECB meeting on Thursday.

The local currency was trading at 1,135.15 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 2.45 won from Monday's close. 

(Yonhap News)