Seoul stocks up late Fri. morning on tech gains

SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded higher late Friday morning, led by strong advances by tech stocks.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 25.6 points, or 0.86 percent, to 3,014.24 points as of 11:20 a.m.

The key stock index got off to a strong start, tracking overnight advances on Wall Street.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite added 1.73 percent to 14,823 points amid hopes of strong corporate earnings in the third quarter, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.56 percent to 34,913 points.

In Seoul, market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. increased 1.3 percent to 70,300 won, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. jumped 3.62 percent to 97,200 won, and internet portal operator Naver Corp. added 0.38 percent to 396,500 won.

Among losers, leading car battery firm LG Chem Ltd. retreated 1.06 percent to 839,000 won, and giant refiner SK Innovation Co. declined 1.14 percent to 260,500 won.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. traded flat at 209,000 won.

The local currency was trading at 1,183.45 won against the U.S. dollar, up 3.35 won from the previous session's close.

jwc@yna.co.kr
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