SEOUL, Oct. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks ended higher Monday helped by increased buying by institutional investors. The local currency strengthened against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 5.45 points, or 0.25 percent, to 2,161.71.
Institutions and individuals bought a net 44.9 billion won (US$39.7 million) worth of local stocks and 64.8 billion won, respectively. Foreigners offloaded a net 111.1 billion won.
Han Ji-young, an analyst at Cape Investment & Securities, said the main index got a boost as Chinese stocks rose and the South Korean currency appreciated vis-a-vis the greenback.
On Monday, the Shanghai Composite Index rose 4.02 percent to 2,653.11 as of 3:28 p.m. in Korean time.
Lee Won, an analyst at Bookook Securities in Seoul, also said a jump in the Chinese bourse had a positive impact on the local stock exchange.
Large-cap stocks were mixed across the board.
Top automaker Hyundai Motor rose 2.16 percent to 118,000 won, and LG Chem Ltd., South Korea's top chemicals firm, was up 2.27 percent to 337,500 won.
Meanwhile, market bellwether Samsung Electronics Co. fell 0.80 percent to 43,550 won, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix Inc. was down 1.13 percent to 70,000 won.
The South Korean currency closed at 1,128.40 won against the U.S. dollar, up 3.7 won from Friday's close.
