Seoul shares opened lower Monday as investors remain concerned over the risk of recession amid the banking crisis triggered by the collapse of the US-based Silicon Valley Bank.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 3.57 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,411.39 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
In Seoul, most large-cap stocks declined.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. fell 1.3 percent, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. declined 1.3 percent, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. dropped 0.6 percent, and the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. shed 0.8 percent.
Among gainers, leading cosmetics firm AmorePacific Corp. rose 0.3 percent, top car battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 3.2 percent, and No. 1 refiner SK Innovation Co. gained 2.3 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,296.85 won against the US dollar as of 9:15 a.m., down 2.55 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)
