Seoul: Shares give up gains on profit-taking; won up

[SEOUL] Seoul shares surrendered early gains and edged down on Tuesday, as investors took profits, while retreating oil prices and stock losses in China further weighed on the index.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed down 0.1 per cent at 1,914.22.

Foreign investors snapped a three-session buying streak and offloaded a net 4.9 billion won (S$5.6 million) worth of KOSPI shares on the main board, preliminary data showed.

The South Korean won strengthened against the dollar, set to remain largely resilient before a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central banks in Shanghai later this week.

The won ended local trade up 0.3 per cent at 1,231.1 per dollar.

REUTERS