Seoul shares down 0.69 pct in late-morning trade

SEOUL, July 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks traded 0.69 percent lower late Monday morning mainly due to losses in tech firms and shipbuilders, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 14.91 points to 2,156.32 as of 11:20 a.m.
Blue chip tech companies and shipbuilders drove down the main index market, with Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest chipmaker, slumping 1.29 percent and Samsung Heavy Industries falling 2.69 percent.
In contrast, steelmakers gained ground. POSCO, the country's leading steelmaker, rose 0.32 percent and Hyundai Steel Co. went up 0.36 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,053.30 won to the greenback as of 11:20 a.m., down 1.3 won from Friday's close.