Seoul shares ended higher on Thursday after solid gains on Wall Street, and as efforts to resolve the EU's debt crisis and strong Chinese factory data lifted investor sentiment. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index ended up 1.09 percent at 1,950.26 points.
The KOSPI 200 December futures index rose 3.20 points to 256.40. The KOSPI 200 spot index gained 3.22 points to 256.02. The junior Kosdaq market rose 0.69 percent to 505.94. Investors reacted calmly to a Japanese newspaper report that North Korea could carry out shelling attacks against mainland South Korea before year-end, citing an unnamed source knowledgeable about the North who had spoken with a North Korean official. Samsung Electronics rose 4.8 percent to 859,000 won, its biggest daily percentage gain in 14 months and highest close in eight months.
Hynix Semiconductor Inc rose 1.7 percent. Tyremakers also provided upward momentum in heavy trading. Kia Motors Corp rose 1.8 percent to 51,400 won, lifted by its November sales data on Wednesday that showed a more than 30 percent jump year on year. Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Co Ltd fell 1.5 percent and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co Ltd declined 0.5 percent. Trading volume was 427.6 million shares worth 5.8 trillion won, compared with average daily trading volume and turnover of 326.7 million shares worth 6.5 trillion won in October.