Seoul shares start nearly flat ahead of U.S. inflation data

South Korean stocks opened almost unchanged Friday ahead of a key inflation report from the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 0.13 point to 2,745.95 in the first 15 minutes of trading. U.S. stocks finished mixed Thursday (U.S. time), as the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.12 percent and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.12 percent. U.S. core personal consumption expenditures price index data, the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation, is slated for Friday. In Seoul, market heavyweights were in mixed territory. Tech giant Samsung Electronics rose 0.87 percent, and its chipmaking rival SK hynix climbed 0.45 percent. Top carmaker Hyundai Motor fell 0.63 percent, and leading battery maker LG Energy Solution dropped 0.51 percent. The local currency was trading at 1,348.3 won against the U.S. dollar, down 2.1 won from the previous session's close. Source: Yonhap News Agency