Seoul shares rise after weak start

SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened slightly lower Friday but soon gained ground as foreign and retail investors were heartened by overnight Wall Street gains, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) edged up 2.88 points, or
0.27 percent, to 1,087.6 in the first 15 minutes of trading after opening 7
percent higher.
U.S. stocks finished higher Thursday following a report that the U.S. gross
domestic product fell 0.3 percent, a smaller than expected drop, in the third
quarter. The Dow Jones rose 2.11 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq advanced 2.49
percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,268.45 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15
a.m., down 18.45 won from Thursday's close.
odissy@yna.co.kr