Seoul: Seoul stocks took a breather Friday after enjoying a surge for the past six consecutive days, as investors cashed out their gains built on an artificial intelligence (AI) boom amid revived Iran uncertainties. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 11.42 points, or 0.13 percent, to 9,052.42 after rising as high as 9,385.59.

According to Yonhap News Agency, trade volume was heavy at 511.1 million shares worth 65.3 trillion won (US$42.7 billion), with losers outnumbering winners 115 to 784. Retail investors emerged as net buyers, purchasing shares worth 1.7 trillion won, while institutional and foreign investors net sold a combined total of 1.6 trillion won.

The index opened sharply higher on a chip rally, but slipped into negative territory in the afternoon following news that planned talks to follow up on the deal to end the U.S.-Iran war had been postponed. The White House announced that Vice President J.D. Vance was delaying his planned trip to Switzerland for direct talks with Iran, adding to the uncertainty.

Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities, noted that investors are anticipating a chip bottleneck, which could push demand and prices, potentially aiding stock prices to rise further. However, market top-cap Samsung Electronics saw a decline of 2.34 percent to 354,000 won, while its industry rival SK hynix gained 2.94 percent to 2,764,000 won.

In other sectors, top carmaker Hyundai Motor advanced 2 percent to 613,000 won, and battery maker LG Energy Solution closed up 1.12 percent to 404,500 won. On the other hand, defense giant Hanwha Aerospace dipped 5.63 percent to 1,122,000 won. Bio firms were not spared from profit-taking, with Samsung Biologics falling 3.92 percent to 1,374,000 won and Celltrion sliding 1.9 percent to 170,300 won.

The Korean won was quoted at 1,527 won against the U.S. dollar, down 0.1 won from the previous session.