(ATTN: UPDATES with details in last 8 paras)

SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- Seoul shares opened higher Thursday, as investors attempted to buy oversold stocks despite losses on Wall Street amid concerns over artificial intelligence spending and uncertainty about the Federal Reserve's policy path.

After opening 0.33 percent higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) went up 19.85 points, or 0.35 percent to 5,683.09 as of 9:15 a.m.

On Wednesday, the index plunged 5.98 percent to close at 5,663.24, following a 10.84 percent decline the previous session.

Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.19 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite declined 1.74 percent.

The Fed on Wednesday (U.S. time) left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.5-3.75 percent, marking a fifth consecutive pause.

The U.S. central bank offered little new guidance on the future path of interest rates, leaving investors with greater uncertainty.

In Seoul, large-cap stocks were mixed.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 0.96 percent, top carmaker Hyundai Motor climbed 0.57 percent, and defense giant Hanwha Aerospace Industries jumped 6.79 percent.

Samsung Electronics posted a net profit of 71.62 trillion won (US$49.6 billion) in the April-June quarter, sharply up from 5.11 trillion won a year earlier, driven by strong demand for chips amid the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Sales more than doubled to 171.49 trillion won from 74.56 trillion won.

The net result met market expectations. The average analyst estimate for net income was 71.21 trillion won.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering soared 8.21 percent, and leading battery maker LG Energy Solution gained 3.83 percent.

Among decliners, Samsung Electronics' chip rival SK hynix fell 4.78 percent, and No. 1 home appliance maker LG Electronics shed 0.53 percent.

The Korean won was trading at 1,436.85 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m., up 9.65 won from the close of stock trading the day before.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr

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