Foreign investors led the market decline. Offshore investors sold a net 264.5 billion won worth of local shares, keeping their selling streak for two straight sessions.
Program-linked transactions posted net selling worth 151 billion won, but institutional and retail investors bought stocks worth 167.1 billion won and 73.1 billion won respectively, limiting the KOSPI's further decline.
Large-cap shares ended bearish. Top steelmaker POSCO slid 2.2 percent to 312,500 won, and the nation's No. 2 banking group KB Financial Group declined 2 percent to 34,350 won. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics edged down 0.2 percent to 1,413,000 won, and flat screen maker LG Display fell 1.2 percent to 35,750 won.
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