▲ This photo, taken July 8, 2026, shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul after the market close. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) stocks-open

(LEAD) Seoul shares open higher on tech gains

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest details in last 5 paras; CHANGES photo)

SEOUL, July 9 (Yonhap) -- Seoul shares opened higher Thursday as investors scooped up bargain-priced chip stocks following the previous session's steep sell-off.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 285.92 points, or 3.95 percent, to 7,532.71 as of 9:15 a.m.

Overnight, U.S. stocks ended mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.09 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.2 percent.

Investors, overall, remain concerned about renewed tensions between the United States and Iran, as well as uncertainty over the next phase of artificial intelligence (AI) trade.

Tech stocks were lead gainers.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics jumped 4.5 percent, while chip giant SK hynix surged 8.62 percent.

Leading wireless services provider SK Telecom climbed 4.76 percent, and Lotte Shopping gained 1.1 percent.

Among decliners, top carmaker Hyundai Motor fell 2.59 percent, and defense firm Hanwha Aerospace declined 3.75 percent.

The Korean won was trading at 1,499.35 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 3.05 won from the previous session.

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