Seoul shares open lower amid woes over weak won, Trump policies
An electronic board showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index at a dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)
South Korean stocks opened bearish Wednesday amid a continued slide of the Korean won and uncertainties surrounding the new Trump administration's policies.
The Korean won continued to slide against the US dollar, hovering above the psychologically important level of 1,400 won.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 11.46 points, or 0.46 percent, to 2,471.11 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
In Seoul, top tech giant Samsung Electronics fell 1.7 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix added 1.67 percent. Top battery maker LG Energy Solution shed 0.7 percent.
Financial firms also started weaker, with KB Financial decreasing 1.4 percent and Shinhan Financial losing 0.9 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,410 won against the greenback, down 6.5 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)
