SEOUL– South Korean stocks traded 0.82 percent higher late Monday morning, led by gains in major banking firms and IT heavyweights.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index had risen 19.64 points to 2,405.73 as of 11:20 a.m.
Top-cap Samsung Electronics also gained more than 1 percent.
Internet portal provider Naver advanced 2.5 percent, and platform giant Kakao jumped 4 percent.
KB Financial soared more than 4 percent, with rival Shinhan Financial spiking 6 percent.
Auto stocks continued to lose ground, with Hyundai Motor falling 1.2 percent. Hyundai Heavy Industries, the country’s largest shipyard, also lost 1.3 percent.
The local currency had been changing hands at 1,233.10 won against the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 8.2 won from Friday’s close.
Source: Yonhap News Agency