South Korea: Stocks hit 1-month high on trade optimism

[SEOUL] South Korean shares closed at a one-month high on Thursday as the United States and China agreed to hold trade talks next month, amid positive political developments in Hong Kong and Britain.

The Seoul stock market's main KOSPI ended up 16.22 points, or 0.82 per cent, to 2,004.75, after rising as much as 1.4 per cent.

Foreigners were net buyers of US$154.29 million worth of shares on the main board.

The trading volume during the session in the KOSPI index was 481.98 million shares and, of the total traded issues of 890, the number of advancing shares was 472.

The KOSPI has fallen 1.78 per cent so far this year, and lost 5.4 per cent in the previous 30 trading sessions.

REUTERS