Seoul shares ended higher Thursday, extending their winning streak to a fifth session, aided by SK hynix and foreign buying, with investors eyeing Friday's US jobs report. The Korean won fell against the US dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 0.85 point, or 0.03 percent, to close at 2,521.90.
Trade volume was moderate at 399.52 million shares worth 11.38 trillion won ($7.8 billion), with decliners outnumbering winners 519 to 362.
Foreigners bought a net 746 billion won worth of stocks, offsetting institutions and individuals' combined stock selling valued at 831 billion won.
In Seoul, large-cap stocks were mixed.
No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix jumped 5.3 percent to 205,000 won, No. 2 carmaker Kia climbed 2.3 percent to 103,300 won, leading shipbuilder HD Hyundai rose 0.9 percent to 82,800 won and national flag carrier Korean Air was up 2 percent to 23,350 won.
Among decliners, market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 2.09 percent to 56,100 won, top carmaker Hyundai Motor dropped 0.23 percent to 213,000 won and leading battery maker LG Energy Solution shed 4 percent to 239,000 won.
LG Energy Solution plunged as it shifted to an unexpected operating loss of 225.5 billion won in the fourth quarter from an operating profit of 338.2 billion won a year earlier amid slowing sales of electric vehicles.
The local currency was quoted at 1,460.50 won against the greenback at 3:30 p.m., down 5.5 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)
