Kospi opens flat ahead of U.S. inflation report

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the stock market price as it opens on Friday. [YONHAP]

Stocks opened almost unchanged Friday ahead of a key inflation report from the United States.

The Kospi added 0.13 point to reach 2,745.95 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

U.S. stocks finished mixed Thursday (U.S. time), as the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.12 percent and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.12 percent.

U.S. core personal consumption expenditures price index data, the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation, is slated for Friday.

In Seoul, market heavyweights were in mixed territory.

Samsung Electronics rose 0.87 percent, and SK hynix climbed 0.45 percent.

Hyundai Motor fell 0.63 percent and LG Energy Solution dropped 0.51 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,348.3 won against the U.S. dollar, up 2.1 won from the previous session's close.

BY KIM JI-YE, YONHAP [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]