Seoul shares open higher on Wall Street gains

SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started higher Friday as investor
sentiment was comforted by overnight gains in U.S. markets, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 15.47 points, or
1.09 percent, to 1,434.86 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
U.S. markets closed higher on Thursday on the news of a drop in jobless claims
and growth in retail sales. The Dow Jones industrial average advanced 0.37
percent and the tech-laden Nasdaq composite index gained 0.50 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,249.5 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m.,
up 3.5 won from Thursday's close.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
(END)