Seoul stocks open lower on financial, bio losses

South Korean stocks opened lower Friday, largely amid losses in the financial and bio stocks.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KospiI) fell 10.23 points, or 0.34 percent, to 2,972.99 points in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics increased 0.57 percent to 71,000 won, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix advanced 1.42 percent to 107,500 won, and Hyundai Motor, the country's largest carmaker, moved up 0.7 percent to 215,500 won.

Among losers, pharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics lost 1.16 percent to 855,000 won, and financial top cap Kakao Bank shed 4.17 percent to 57,500 won. Internet portal operator Naver climbed 2.11 percent to 411,000 won.

The local currency was trading at 1,185.7 won against the US dollar, down 3.1 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)