Seoul shares slipped on Thursday after trading in positive territory for most of the session, with options expiry causing some volatility near the close but gains by techs like Samsung Electronics lending support. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished down 0.05 percent at 1,564.64 points. Foreign investors returned to net buying after snapping a 20-session purchasing streak on Wednesday, picking up a net 217.22 billion won ($175.6 million) worth of stocks.
Technology issues rose advanced led by Samsung Electronics, the world's No 1 memory chip makers and the largest share on the KOSPI, which finished up 1.3 percent, and LG Display, which gained 3.6 percent. "After taking a brief breather, key tech issues seem to be coming back to life again," said Song Myung-sup, an analyst at HI Investment & Securities.
Tong Yang Securities, which was added to the MSCI Korea Standard Index, advanced 4.59 percent, while LS Industrial System, also a new addition to the index, declined 0.51 percent. Steel sheet and pipe maker Hyundai Hysco shot up 7.77 percent after it reported late on Wednesday a 13.7 percent rise in second-quarter net profit from a year earlier to 34 billion won ($27.37 million).
Hot-rolled coil is a key raw material for Hyundai Hysco's products. Shares in Unison spiked 14.7 percent after news the wind turbine parts manufacturer would soon sign a MOU with China's Fuxin city to supply it 1,000 2 megawatt wind power generating facilities over the next five years.
Asiana Airlines fell 0.48 percent after South Korea's No 2 air carrier posted a 129.5 billion won operating loss for the second quarter. Losses in crude refiners and banks also pressured the market, with GS Holdings, the holding company of South Korea's No 2 crude refiner GS Caltex, falling 1.97 percent and KB Financial Group losing 1.87 percent.
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