SEOUL: South Korean shares stepped back from two-month highs on Friday, with the main index pressured lower by losses in automakers on concerns a rising local currency would erode their export earnings.
The South Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed down 0.2 percent at 2,030.14 points. It briefly touched a high of 2,038.06 in morning trade, the strongest intraday level since Aug. 6.
On a weekly analysis, the index rose for a third straight week, up 0.5 percent.
Market bellwether Hyundai Motor Co Ltd shed 0.9 percent and its affiliate Kia Motor Corp slid 2.8 percent.
The South Korean won closed at 1,129.1 per dollar after a choppy session, barely changed from the previous close of 1,130.2. For the week, the currency is up 2.6 percent, the biggest weekly percentage gain since Dec. 2, 2011.
