SEOUL: South Korean stocks started lower Friday, as weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data dented investor appetite here, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 1.61 points, or 0.08 percent, to 2,105.72 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Tech and steel blue chips dragged down the index, with top-cap Samsung Electronics falling 1.4 percent and zinc smelter Korea Zinc slipping about 1.5 percent.
Pharmaceuticals continued to rally as the country is struggling to contain the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Leading player Yuhan Corp. rose 1.3 percent.
The United States added a lower number of payrolls in June than the market had anticipated, tempering the outlook of a September rate hike by the Federal Reserve.
The local currency was trading at 1,118.90 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 6.2 won from Thursday’s close.
