South Korean won edges up as Yellen remarks awaited

14 Jul, 2014

SEOUL: The South Korean won edged up against the US dollar on Monday morning as Portugal's bank fears ebbed and corporates sold the dollar, although gains were limited on caution ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's remarks.

The local currency was quoted at 1,018.1 versus

the dollar as of 0318 GMT, up 0.1 percent from Friday's domestic close at 1,019.0.

Asian shares edged higher as euro zone banking jitters faded, to be replaced by caution ahead of corporate earnings and a raft of global economic events including testimony from the head of the Federal Reserve.

On Seoul's main stock market, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 0.4 percent to 1,995.80 points as of 0318 GMT from Friday's close at 1,988.74.

Hyundai Hysco shares fell as much as 5.5 percent on the day after the US Commerce Department set duties on the steel pipes sold by the South Korean company on Friday. It later recovered about half the early loss.

Samsung SDI Co Ltd rose 2.09 percent after the display and energy device maker announced plans to add one more production line for electric vehicle batteries within this year.

Construction companies rose on hopes the incoming finance minister, Choi Kyung-hwan, would announce plans to boost the property market soon after he is expected to take office this week. Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co Ltd advanced 3.13 percent and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co Ltd added 2.32 percent.

September futures on three-year treasury bonds

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