Seoul shares open sharply lower on escalating Mideast crisis, US rate freeze

South Korean shares kicked off sharply lower Thursday after the Middle East's critical energy facilities were attacked during the US and Israel-led war against Iran, and the US Federal Reserve's decision to keep its interest rates unchanged. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 128.08 points, or 2.16 percent, to 5,796.95 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 1.63 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite slid 1.46 percent,

By The Korea Herald