South Korean stocks closed lower Monday as foreign investors continued their selling on mixed data from the world's two biggest economies, with auto shares suffering heavier losses, analysts said. The local currency fell to the dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 8.52 points, or 0.44 percent, to finish at 1,947.00. Trading volume was moderate at 302.4 million shares worth 4.26 trillion won($3.89 billion) with losers outpacing gainers 501 to 306.

Analysts said foreigners remained net sellers as they wrestled with divergent economic data showing the strong U.S. dollar, disappointing  trade by China and lingering eurozone woes.

China trade data released Sunday showed imports fell nearly 20 percent this year compared to a year ago, while strong U.S. jobs raised market speculation that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates sooner than expected.

"Foreign investors are selling local shares both in the main and secondary bourses as the U.S. dollar remains strong on the upbeat economic data," Shin Jong-ho, an analyst at E-Trade Securities. "This is expected to last for a while because there is no clear momentum and the central bank is not likely to cut the key interest rates next week."

Auto shares traded bearish on concerns that the weak Japanese yen may erode their global market share and worsen profit.

Top automaker Hyundai Motors sank 3.67 percent to 157,500 won, and auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis also declined 2.47 percent to

236,500 won. Its sister company Kia Motors slid 2.92 percent to 43,200 won, hitting the lowest since October 2010.

Tech shares were mixed. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics inclined 1.68 percent to 1,395,000 won, while Naver, the nation's leading portal operator, dipped 4.76 percent to 681,000 won.

Casino shares tumbled after the Chinese government vowed to toughen regulations on foreign casino operators as part of its anti-corruption campaign. 

Paradise, the nation's largest casino operator, plunged 12.27 percent to 21,800 won, and its smaller rival Grand Korea Leisure plummeted 8.74 percent to 36,550 won. In South Korea, 16 of the 17 locally operating casinos are open to foreigners only.

The secondary KOSDAQ closed down 1.72 percent to settle at 593.75 as investors locked in profits from the recent rally. It breached the 600 mark Thursday for the first time in more than six years.

The Korean won ended at 1,094.90 won against the greenback, down 5.2 won from Friday's close. (Yonhap)