 |
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) figures are displayed at a dealing room of a local bank in Seoul, Thursday. (Yonhap) |
South Korean shares opened a tad higher Thursday as investors snapped up tech blue-chip bargains following a drop in the previous session.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 4.31 points, or 0.14 percent, to 2,997.60 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Tech and bio shares led the overall gains.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 0.63 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix spiked 3.15 percent.
But auto, steel and chemicals were in negative terrain to keep the rise in check.
Top carmaker Hyundai Motor dropped 0.94 percent and No. 1 steelmaker POSCO decreased 1.08 percent.
Retail investors went into buying mode, offsetting selling by institutions and foreigners.
Overnight on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.25 percent to finish at an all-time high of 36,488.63, while the tech-focused Nasdaq composite index fell 0.10 percent to 15,766.22.
The local currency was trading at 1,184.50 won against the US dollar, up 2.00 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
