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Kospi opens higher ahead of earnings season

Published: 22 Jul. 2025, 10:12

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi opening on July 22. [YONHAP]

Shares opened higher Tuesday after a mixed close on Wall Street as investors await major earnings reports amid U.S. tariff uncertainties.

The Kospi rose 0.49 points, or 0.02 percent, to 3,211.30 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.04 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.38 percent.

Investors are keeping a close eye on any new developments in U.S. tariff policies as Trump may announce more unilateral tariff rates before Aug. 1, analysts said.

They also await second-quarter corporate earnings results, due this week, for clues about the market's future direction.

In Seoul, large-cap stocks were mixed.

Market behemoth Samsung Electronics rose 0.44 percent, and leading home appliance maker LG Electronics climbed 1.96 percent.

LG Chem jumped 3.48 percent, leading battery maker LG Energy Solution gained 1.96 percent, and state-run utility Korea Electric Power climbed 3.36 percent.

Among decliners, chip giant SK hynix fell 0.83 percent, top carmaker Hyundai Motor declined 0.24 percent, and leading shipbuilder HD Hyundai shed 0.22 percent.

Defense firm Hanwha Aerospace lost 0.11 percent, and plant builder Doosan Enerbility dropped 3.51 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,384.65 won against the U.S. dollar at 9:15 a.m., down 0.26 percent from the previous session of 1388.2 won.

Yonhap