This photo taken Wednesday, shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
This photo taken Wednesday, shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul. (Yonhap)

Seoul shares closed little changed Wednesday as investors await key US inflation data amid trimmed bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts and the Bank of Korea's key rate decision. The Korean won rose against the US dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 0.59 points, or 0.02 percent, to close at 2,496.81.

Trade volume was moderate at 525.6 million shares worth 9 trillion won ($6.2 billion), with decliners outnumbering gainers 592 to 270.

Foreigners and individuals bought a combined 168 billion won worth of stocks, offsetting institutions' stock selling valued at 255.3 billion won.

Overnight, US stocks ended mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.52 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq down 0.23 percent.

Investors now await the US consumer price index report due later in the day as it may provide clues for the future path of the Fed's rate policy amid trimmed bets on the Federal Reserve's rate cuts.

They also await the BOK's rate decision on Thursday.

"Institutional selling weighed on the index. The detainment of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol didn't have much effect on the market as it was already factored in the market," Lee Young-won, an analyst at Heungkuk Securities Co., said.

Yoon was detained earlier in the day over his failed martial law bid, ending a weekslong standoff with investigators. He faces charges of insurrection over the short-lived martial law on Dec. 3.

In Seoul, shipbuilding stocks were the lead gainers.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. jumped 3.18 percent to 243,500 won and Hanwha Ocean, formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, surged 6.36 percent to 51,000 won.

National flag carrier Korean Air rose 1.32 percent to 23,000 won and the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries Co., gained 0.38 percent to 53,000 won.

Among decliners, market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 0.37 percent to 53,700 won, top carmaker Hyundai Motor declined 0.68 percent to 220,500 won and leading battery firm LG Energy Solution shed 1.82 percent to 351,500 won.

The local currency was quoted at 1,461.20 won against the greenback at 3:30 p.m., up 2 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)