Seoul shares trim gains; banks, builders shine

Published: 29 Apr 2009 22:10:49 PST

SEOUL, April 30 - Seoul shares closed up 2.31 percent on Thursday after touching their highest level this year as hopes for a global recovery lifted banks and builders, although exporters such as LG Display fell on the stronger won.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index <.KS11> rose 2.31 percent to end at 1,369.38 points, coming off a session high of 1,377.82 points, which was the strongest this year.

KB Financial Group <105560.KS>, which runs South Korea's biggest lender Kookmin and is due to report earnings later in the day, climbed 6.14 percent. LG Display <034220.KS>, the world's second-biggest liquid crystal display maker, dropped 0.63 percent.