Seoul shares up 0.59 pct in late-morning trade

SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks were trading 0.59 percent higher late Friday morning on news that eurozone leaders plan to provide additional financial aid to Greece in an effort to contain the region's debt crisis, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 12.56 points to 2,157.6 as of 11:20 a.m.
Financial shares led the overall market gain. Hana Financial Group, South Korea's No. 4 banking group, soared 3.21 percent after reporting higher than expected second-quarter earnings on Thursday. The biggest financial institution KB Financial Group jumped 0.92 percent.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics was trading up 1.07 percent.
Kia Motors, South Korea's second-largest automaker, jumped 1.73 percent, on a report that it had reached a wage deal agreement without a strike.
In contrast, retailers lost ground, with market leader Lotte Shopping falling 2.25 percent and Hyundai Department Store losing 3.42 percent.
The local currency was changing hands at 1,052 won to the U.S. dollar as of 11:20 a.m., up 2.7 won from Thursday's close.