The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Seoul shares open lower amid extended losing streak

By Yonhap

Published : Jan. 12, 2024 - 09:34

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An electronic board showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index at a dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap) An electronic board showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index at a dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)

South Korean stocks opened slightly lower Friday amid a prolonged losing streak ahead of the earnings season.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 3.22 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,537.05 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

The Kospi has been on a seven-day losing streak.

Large caps traded mixed.

Market kingpin Samsung Electronics added 0.55 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix gaining 0.29 percent and leading cosmetics firm Amore Pacific adding 0.79 percent.

Top drugmaker Celltrion lost 2.59 percent, while leading automaker Hyundai dropped 0.16 percent and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors 1 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,312.55 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.35 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)