South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday as a better-than-expected US unemployment report for January boosted prospects that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates unchanged.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 62.74 points, or 1.17 percent, to 5,417.23 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Overnight, major US indexes closed slightly lower as investors showed a mixed reaction to the stronger-than-expected US jobs report, which raised hopes the US economy would remain solid and that the Federal Reserve may keep its interest rates unchanged.
Investors are now waiting for US consumer prices data set to be released Friday, which will give further clues on the Fed's monetary policy direction.
In Seoul, semiconductor heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK hynix started bullish, gaining 1.85 percent and 2.56 percent, respectively.
Artificial intelligence investment firm SK Square jumped 4.7 percent.
Shipbuilding and financial shares also opened stronger.
Major shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy climbed 2.23 percent and its rival Hanwha Ocean rose 0.69 percent.
Shinhan Financial advanced 2.87 percent and Hana Financial increased 1.75 percent.
On the other hand, auto giant Hyundai Motor started 1.38 percent lower, and power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility shed 2.72 percent.
Bio firm Celltrion lost 2.09 percent after rallying the previous day.
The Korean won was trading at 1,450.6 won against the US dollar as of 9:15 a.m., down 0.5 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)
