Seoul shares up 0.98 pct in late-morning trade

SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 0.98 percent higher late Monday morning as sentiment was lifted by eased concerns about Greece's debt crisis and better-than-expected U.S. data, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) advanced 20.80 points to 2,146.54 as of 11:20 a.m.
U.S. markets closed higher on Friday due to eased concerns about Greece's debt crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 1.36 percent and the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite Index gained 1.53 percent.
Tech, bank and auto shares gained ground, pushing the KOSPI to as high as 2,150.57 in the morning session.
Market leader Samsung Electronics added 2.81 percent and top automaker Hyundai Motor advanced 1.25 percent.
But Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) fell 4.72 percent after its board decided to pay out a record interim dividend to the bank's biggest shareholder, Lone Star Funds. Hana Financial Group, which is in talks to extend a deal to buy KEB, rose 3.49 percent on expectations that it may lower the takeover price.
The local currency was trading at 1,063.80 won to the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., up 2.8 won from Friday's close.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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