South Korea's stock market is expected to continue firmer in this week, led by Samsung Electronics and information technology shares, dealers said. They said the market would gain further as investors have greater confidence in an economic recovery after positive economic indicators and encouraging comments by policy makers. "The market may maintain an upward trend with positive sentiment off-setting foreign selling," Hana Securities' Cho Yong-Hyon said.
For the week to March 11 the composite index gained 9.83 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,022.79.
Average daily volume was 591 million shares worth 3.7 trillion won (3.7 billion dollars), compared to 607 million shares worth 3.9 trillion won the previous week.
Analysts said trading would focus on technology shares after an upbeat outlook from Intel Corp, the world's largest chipmaker, with the index fluctuating between 1,000 points and 1,040 points.
South Korea's central bank Thursday confirmed that the economy was on a recovery track after two years in the doldrums.
The Bank of Korea kept its call rate target for March unchanged at an all-time low of 3.25 percent, but cited worries about high oil prices and the won's strength.