Seoul stocks start higher on chemicals, steel

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started higher Monday on gains from chemical firms and steelmakers.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.66 points, or 0.29 percent, to 2,294.34 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Chemical firms opened higher, with LG Household & Health Care moving up 0.47 percent and AmorePacific increasing 1.27 percent.

No. 1 steelmaker POSCO increased 3.11 percent, and Korea Zinc added 0.63 percent. Hyundai Steel moved up 1.13 percent.

The South Korean currency was trading at 1,124.90 won against the U.S. dollar, up 2.70 won from the previous session's close.

colin@yna.co.kr
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