Seoul shares open 2.3 pct lower on U.S. losses

SEOUL, Nov. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks opened 2.3 percent lower Monday as
Wall Street losses in the previous session weighed down on blue chips here,
analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 24.21 points to
1,064.05 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
U.S. stocks fell on Friday after a record drop in retail sales last month raised
concerns that reluctance to spend will drag the economy into an even deeper
downturn. The Dow Jones industrial average slumped 3.82 percent and the
tech-dominated Nasdaq composite index tumbled 5 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,426.5 won to the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m.,
down 26.5 won from Friday's close.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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