SEOUL: South Korean stocks traded 0.06 percent higher in late Tuesday morning, helped by gains in telecoms and chemical shares, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) inched up 1.16 points to 2,066.35 as of 11:20 a.m.
The index bobbed in and out of negative terrain throughout the morning, but telecoms and chemical shares helped prop up the market.
Major mobile carrier SK Telecom jumped 4.29 percent, while LG Chem, the country’s largest chemicals maker, gained 1.89 percent.
Steelmakers also were marked gainers, with POSCO trading 1.09 percent higher.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics, however, weighed on the market by losing 2.21 percent. Chipmaker SK hynix also shed 0.73 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,119.95 won to the U.S. dollar as of 11:20 a.m., up 3.35 won from the previous session’s close.
