[THE INVESTOR] South Korean stocks started higher on Sept. 2 in the wake of a two-session losing streak.

The benchmark KOSPI rose 2.85 points, or 0.14 percent, to 2,035.57 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

The upswing came after the KOSPI declined for the two consecutive days amid uncertainty over the timing of the US interest-rate hike. Traders will closely watch the key US jobs data for August to be released on Sept. 2 (local time).




Large caps started mixed. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics gained 0.95 percent, while the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. lost 0.87 percent.

Leading automaker Hyundai Motor gained 0.38 percent, and Amore Pacific, the top cosmetics maker, advanced 1.90 percent.

The South Korean won was trading at 1,117.70 won against the US greenback, up 4.40 won from the previous session’s close.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)