South Korean stocks started a tad lower Monday ahead of key US inflation data amid escalating uncertainties over US tariff policies.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 1.08 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2,562.40 in the first 15 minutes of trading.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said last week that the US economy is solid and he has no plan to adjust monetary policy hurriedly, calming the uncertainties for the world's largest economy.
The US consumer price index will be released on Wednesday, serving as a key barometer for the central bank to decide its benchmark rates.
The US government said steel and aluminum tariffs will be effective from Wednesday, raising concerns over a possible trade war across the globe.
In Seoul, major shares lost ground.
Steel giant POSCO Holdings sank 3 percent, and chipmaker SK hynix retreated 1.2 percent.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem declined 1.8 percent, and top bio tech firm Samsung Biologics decreased 1.82 percent.
However, top-cap Samsung Electronics rose 0.74 percent, and No. 1 carmaker Hyundai Motor added 0.31 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,448.3 won against the US dollar at 9:15 a.m., down 0.8 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)
