Seoul: South Korean stocks experienced a slight uptick late Tuesday morning following a rally in the previous session, as investors keenly anticipate the forthcoming earnings report from artificial intelligence chip giant Nvidia. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index showed an increase of 7.27 points, or 0.29 percent, reaching 2,476.34 by 11:20 a.m. According to Yonhap News Agency, the main index had seen a significant rise of 2.16 percent on Monday, marking the sharpest daily gain since September 26, driven primarily by a surge in chipmakers like Samsung Electronics. Nvidia's impending release of its third-quarter earnings has captured investor attention this week. Market leader Samsung Electronics saw a 0.53 percent increase following its announcement to repurchase shares worth 10 trillion won (approximately US$7.2 billion) in an effort to enhance shareholder value. The oil refining sector demonstrated robust performance, with industry leader SK Innovation surging 4.51 percent and S-Oil, ranked third, climbing 5.66 percent. In other significant movements, leading game publisher NCSOFT experienced a 3.16 percent rise, while K-pop powerhouse Hybe recorded a 2.13 percent increase. The local currency also showed slight strength, trading at 1,393.95 won against the U.S. dollar at 11:20 a.m., up 1.25 won from the previous session.