Seoul shares lower

Seoul shares ended slightly lower on Tuesday, as concerns about a surging South Korean currency hit exporters like Samsung Electronics, while investors were also cautious ahead of a central bank rate setting meeting. The won rose to its highest dollar level since the 1997 Asian financial crisis during local local trade, stirring concerns it could dampen South Korea's export competitiveness.
The benchmark Korea Composite Price Index (KOSPI) closed down 0.23 percent at 844.15, with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the world's biggest maker of memory chips, falling 2.05 percent to 431,000 won.
Analysts said uncertainties ahead of interest rate decisions in the United States and South Korea on Wednesday and Thursday respectively also held investors back.
Concerns about exports pushed shares in top local car maker Hyundai Motor Co down 0.36 percent to 54,100 won while POSCO Co, the world's fifth-biggest steel maker, shed 0.29 percent at 169,500 won.
Oil held firm throughout the day, trading at $49.10 a barrel in Asia, down from a recent record high of $55.67 a barrel. South Korea is the world's fourth-biggest oil buyer and has to import all of its crude needs.
Airlines offered some support to the market, as investors bet a stronger won would cuts fuel import costs.
Top local carrier Korean Air rose 4.71 percent to end at 17,800 won while smaller rival Asiana Airlines ended up 6.23 percent at 2,900 won.
Shares in the country's second-largest fixed line operator, Dacom Corp, surged 9.89 percent to close at 5,390 won, bolstered by hopes its bid for bankrupt broadband operator Thrunet Co would be successful and help it take market share from leader KT Corp.
Trade volume reached 341.9 million shares worth 1.8 trillion won compared to 268.2 million shares worth 1.8 trillion won on Monday. Gainers edged out losers by 366 to 346 with 87 titles ending flat.
Foreign investors sold a net of 91.9 billion won in shares on the main bourse, while retail investors bought a net of 35.2 billion won. Institutional investors bought a net of 3.9 billion won.
The December KOSPI 200 futures index shed 0.25 point to 108.90 and the underlying KOSPI 200 spot index lost 0.30 point to 109.04.