Seoul shares open lower amid earnings concerns
...panies are expected to announce their fourth-quarter earnings results beginning next week, with the market consensus leaning toward lackluster performances in some sectors. Tech heavyweights and financial stocks drove down the Kospi, with market behemoth Samsung Electronics falling more than 1 percent and battery maker Samsung SDI slipping 1.2 percent. Shinhan Financial, a major banking group, dipped more than 2.5 percent, and its rival, Hana Financial, also slumped 3 percent. Top chemical producer LG Chem, in contrast, gained 0.2 percent, and Naver, ...