SEOUL: South Korean stocks traded 0.3 percent higher late Friday morning as investor’s sentiment was buoyed by Greece’s new reform plan and the stabilized Chinese market, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 6.06 points to 2,033.87 as of 11:20 a.m.
Builders traded in positive territory, with Hyundai Engineering & Construction increasing 1.62 percent and GS Engineering & Construction jumping 5.23 percent.
Top cosmetics maker AmorePacific edged up 0.13 percent, and No. 2 LG Household & Health Care added 2.27 percent.
Cheil Industries, Samsung Group’s de facto holding company, advanced 1.72 percent, and Samsung C&T, its trading and construction unit, rose 0.94 percent, amid escalating tensions over the two companies’ merger.
However, leading carmaker Hyundai Motor fell 0.79 percent, and its sister Kia Motors lost 2.74 percent.
The local currency was changing hands at 1,128.95 won against the dollar in Seoul as of 11:20 a.m., up 4.95 won from Thursday’s close.
