Seoul shares trimmed earlier losses late Wednesday morning as investors await key U.S. inflation data and major firms' second-quarter earnings results.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index had fallen 1.23 points, or 0.05 percent, to 2,561.26 as of 11:20 a.m.
Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.6 percent.
Federal Reserve officials have said the U.S. central bank will likely need to raise rates further this year to tame inflation. Investors await Wednesday's U.S. consumer price index data to take a cue for future rate moves.
Institutions and foreigners sold a combined 40 billion won (US$31 million) worth of stocks, offsetting individuals' stock purchases valued at 38 billion won.
In Seoul, large-cap stocks were mixed across the board.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. fell 0.3 percent, top carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. declined 1.5 percent, leading car battery maker LG Energy Solution shed 2.6 percent, and KG Mobility, formerly SsangYong Motor Co., was down 0.1 percent.
Among gainers, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. rose 0.3 percent, leading cosmetics firm AmorePacific Corp. gained 2.3 percent, and Hanwha Ocean Co., formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding Marine and Engineering Co., jumped 7.7 percent.
The local currency was trading at 1,292.90 won against the U.S. dollar at 11:20 a.m., up 0.8 won from the previous session's close.
Source: Yonhap News Agency