Seoul shares advanced on Monday lifted by firm gains in automakers and shipyards, supported further by optimism about a resolution to the eurozone debt crisis and Chinese data that allayed fears of a hard landing. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index ended up 3.26 percent at 1,898.32 points. The KOSPI 200 spot index finished up 3.41 percent at 248.21 points and the junior Kosdaq market rose 2.45 percent to 493.03 points.
Foreign investors were buyers of a net 177.5 billion won ($154.7 million) worth of stocks, snapping three sessions of selling. Institutions were buyers of a net 264.9 billion won, picking up shares for a third straight session. Hyundai Motor advanced 5.3 percent and auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis rose 5.1 percent. Shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries jumped 7.3 percent and Samsung Heavy Industries climbed 8.4 percent.
Shares in STX Offshore & Shipbuilding rose 5.3 percent and STX Corp was up 3.4 percent. POSCO underperformed, edging up just 0.8 percent after the world's No 3 steelmaker maker cut its 2011 investment plan and painted a dim outlook after posting a 6 percent rise in quarterly profit that met market expectations late on Friday.