Seoul shares open slightly higher on chip shares

Stocks opened slightly higher Thursday, led by big-cap tech gains, despite uncertainties over the United States' debt ceiling negotiations.

The benchmark Kospi added 3.01 points, or 0.12 percent, to 2,570.46 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Overnight, U.S. shares ended lower as negotiations on the U.S. debt ceiling drag on, with just eight days left till the June 1 deadline.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.77 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite shed 0.61 percent.

In Seoul, chipmakers traded on a firm note.

Samsung Electronics jumped 0.88 percent, and SK hynix spiked 4.3 percent.

Chemicals opened mixed following recent sharp gains. LG Energy Solution inched up 0.17 percent, while LG Chem tumbled 0.97 percent and Samsung SDI lost 1.4 percent.

Carmakers opened lower, with Hyundai Motor skidding 0.96 percent and Kia tumbling 1.12 percent.

Bio shares also opened lower. Samsung Biologics fell 0.51 percent, and Celltrion shrank 0.67 percent.

Portal operator Naver rose 0.49 percent on bargain hunting, and Kakao opened unchanged.

The local currency was trading at 1,319.55 won against the dollar at 9:15 a.m., up 2.15 won from the previous session's close.

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]