Seoul shares open 0.21 pct lower on Wall Street setbacks

By Lee Youkyung
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks started 0.21 percent lower Friday
as investor sentiment was dented by overnight falls in U.S. stock markets,
analysts said.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slid 3.48 points to
1,644.36 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
On Thursday, U.S. markets closed lower on a soaring dollar and an increase in
U.S. jobless benefits. The Dow Jones industrial average sank 1.27 percent and
tech-focused Nasdaq composite index dropped 1.22 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,181.80 won to the greenback as of 9:15 a.m.,
down 3.90 won from Thursday's close.
ylee@yna.co.kr
(END)