An electronic board showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index at a dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap)
An electronic board showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index at a dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap)

Seoul shares opened lower Monday, tracking losses on Wall Street, amid investor concerns over the impact of US trade tariffs on major industries.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 14.99 points, or 0.56 percent, to 2,639.59 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

On Friday, US stocks recorded its worst session of the year so far on lackluster economic data.

A weak consumer sentiment index and other indicators sparked concern among US investors over higher inflation ahead from new tariffs.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.69 percent to 43,428.02 points and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite declined 2.2 percent to 19,524.01.

Investors remain concerned over the impact of upcoming tariffs on cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals on related industries over the next month or sooner.

The US government already imposed a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, escalating worries over a global trade war.

In Seoul, tech and auto stocks led declines.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 1.37 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix declined 3.34 percent.

Top carmaker Hyundai Motor dropped 0.49 percent and national flag carrier Korean Air shed 0.41 percent.

Among gainers, steelmaker Posco Holdings rose 0.18 percent and leading shipper HMM jumped 13.82 percent.

Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution gained 1.59 percent and No. 2 battery maker Samsung SDI was up 3.24 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,435.75 won against the dollar at 9:15 a.m., down 1.45 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)