SEOUL, (PNA/Xinhua) — South Korean shares ended slightly lower on Monday as uncertainties remained over negotiations in the United States over the budget plan and debt ceiling.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 4.63 points, or 0.23 percent, to close at 2,020.27. Trading volume stood at 218.43 million shares worth 3.58 trillion won (3.34 billion U.S. dollars).
Market optimism emerged on a possible fiscal deal in Washington after U.S. President Barack Obama met with Republican leaders to solve the fiscal deadlock that led to a partial government shutdown for around two weeks.
Although no decision was made at the meeting, it was the first serious talks between Obama and the Republicans, boosting optimism over breakthrough of the fiscal impasse.
Foreign investors bought a net 197.7 billion won worth of local stocks, keeping their buying spree for 32 straight sessions. It was the longest winning streak since the Korea Exchange began to compile such data in 1999.
Institutional investors, however, sold stocks worth 243.7 billion won due to lingering uncertainties over the U.S. debt deal. Three days were just left for the deadline of the debt ceiling talks.
If Congress fails to raise the debt limit of 16.7 trillion dollars by the deadline of Oct. 17, the U.S. government will fall into default on debt for the first time in the country’s history.
Large-cap shares ended mixed. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics slid 0.4 percent, and memory chip giant SK Hynix declined 0.8 percent. Top automaker Hyundai Motor declined 1 percent, and the nations’ biggest life insurer Samsung Life Insurance lost 1.4 percent.
Leading chemical firm LG Chem gained 1.4 percent, and top steelmaker POSCO added 0.3 percent. The country’s No. 3 banking group Shinhan Financial Group rose 0.9 percent.
The South Korean currency finished at 1,071.5 won against the greenback, down 0.1 won from Friday’s close.
Bond prices ended lower. The yield on the liquid three-year treasury notes rose 0.02 percentage point to 2.88 percent, and the return on the benchmark 10-year government bonds gained 0.04 percentage point to 3.54 percent.