0028 GMT - South Korea's benchmark Kospi rises 0.9% to 2544.14 in early trade as semiconductor and shipbuilding stocks advance. Easing U.S. tariff concerns are supporting sentiment, with Seoul seeking to craft a trade package deal with Washington by early July, Kiwoom Securities analysts say in a note. Memory-chip maker SK Hynix rises 2.4%. Shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries climbs 7.3%, leading a rally in local shipmakers. Meanwhile, Kakao falls 5.3% on SK Telecom's plan to dispose of its 2.4% stake in the mobile-internet company. USD/KRW is 0.2% lower at 1,432.25 in Seoul onshore trading. South Korea's 10-year government bond yield is up 2.5 bps at 2.623%. (kwanwoo.jun@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 24, 2025 20:28 ET (00:28 GMT)
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