SEOUL: South Korean stocks got off to a weak start on Monday due to tech and automobile losses, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) shed 8.15 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,022.01 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Tech shares led the decline, with to-cap Samsung Electronics falling 1.18 percent and top chipmaker SK hynix losing 2.29 percent. Samsung SDI, the battery-making unit of Samsung Group, edged down 0.23 percent.
Carmakers also traded bearish, with No. 1 Hyundai Motor moving down 2.35 percent and its smaller sister Kia Motors decreasing 1.82 percent. Top auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis shed 1.87 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,167.45 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 2.55 won from Friday’s close.
