South Korean shares edged lower on Monday, hurt by slowing factory output and investment spending in China although a firmer yen helped the market pare back earlier sharp losses. The United States said it would watch Japan to ensure its policies were not aimed at weakening its currency, prompting the dollar to move further away from last week's four-year high against the yen. Weakness in the yen makes Japanese exporters more competitive, often at the expense of their South Korean rivals.
"The yen wasn't as soft today, which helped offset weak Chinese data. Tension surrounding North Korea is not as high as it was last week," said Kim Hak-kyun, an analyst at KDB Daewoo Securities. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) ended down 0.2 percent at 1,920.45 points, after falling as much as 0.9 percent earlier in the day.
But others said the market remained on tenterhooks about possible military action as North Korea celebrated the 101st anniversary of its founder's birth on Monday after it had spurned talks with South Korea. "It is uncertain whether North Korea will launch a missile. If it happens, it will lead to the KOSPI's sharp falls in the short term," Kim Joo-hyung, an analyst at Tong Yang Securities, said.
Notable stocks losing ground included Hyundai Motor which eased 2 percent, Kia Motors which dropped 1.3 percent and Hyundai Mobis which fell 2 percent. Tong Yang Securities said it expects the three companies to post a 16 percent fall in combined net profit for the January to March period from a year earlier, missing market expectations, hurt in part by strength in the won.
Hyundai Hysco, an automotive steel supplier, dived 7.9 percent on a weak earnings outlook after cuts to its steel prices. Telecom firms gained ground following media reports that they plan to receive pre-orders for the latest Galaxy S model by Samsung Electronics starting Friday. SK Telecom rose 3.2 percent, while LG Uplus gained 3 percent.
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