Seoul: Won ends slightly firmer, stocks soften

[SEOUL] The South Korean won ended slightly firmer on Friday and stocks ticked lower, as the market took a cautious stance ahead of central bank meetings in the United States and Japan.

The won was quoted at 1,134.4 to the dollar at the conclusion of onshore trade, up 0.1 per cent compared with Thursday's close of 1,135.9.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) closed down 0.1 per cent at 2,010.34 points.

On a weekly basis, the currency barely changed compared with the previous week, while shares lost 0.2 per cent.

Foreign investors turned to buyers later in the day, with their purchasing spree stretching into a 12th day. They purchased a net 15.1 billion won (S$18 million) worth of Kospi shares on Friday.

REUTERS