Seoul shares up 1.76 pct in late morning trading

SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 1.76 percent higher late Monday morning as investors were boosted by the eased trade tensions between the United States and China.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) advanced 36.92 points to 2,133.78 as of 11:20 a.m.

Steelmakers gained ground, with No. 1 POSCO advancing 4.85 percent and Korea Zinc gaining 2.59 percent. Hyundai Steel added 7.54 percent.

Market kingpin Samsung Electronics moved up 2.75 percent and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix rose 1.29 percent. Samsung SDI, a battery maker, shot up 6.05 percent.

Celltrion, the top pharmaceutical firm by market cap, rose 1.04 percent. Hanmi Pharmaceutical gained 1.58 percent.

The South Korean currency was changing hands at 1,115.45 won against the U.S. dollar as of 11:20 a.m., up 5.75 won from the previous session's close.

colin@yna.co.kr
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