Seoul stocks start higher on U.S. gains

SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started higher Friday, tracking
overnight Wall Street gains, analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 7.4 points, or 0.53
percent, to 1,400.13 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

U.S. shares finished sharply higher on Thursday, underpinned by a string of
upbeat earnings reports in the second quarter. The Dow Jones industrial average
jumped 2.08 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq surged 2.08 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,283.25 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15, up
5.33 won from Thursday's close. The Bank of Korea reported a current account
surplus of US$3.63 billion in May, the fourth straight monthly surplus.
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)