Seoul shares closed lower Friday, snapping a four-day winning streak, with no major guidance in the markets due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. The Korean won fell against the US dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index was down 18.33 points, or 0.73 percent, to close at 2,496.63.

Trade volume was slim at 352.2 million shares worth 6.38 trillion won ($4.9 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 452 to 413.

Institutions and individuals bought a combined 194 billion won worth of stocks, offsetting foreign selling valued at 221.5 billion won.

Market participants expect the Federal Reserve is near the end of its hiking cycle and rate cuts are likely in 2024. But the latest Fed minutes said officials have no intention to ease the monetary policy.

In Seoul, most large-cap stocks declined.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 1 percent to 71,700 won, No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix declined 1.6 percent to 128,000 won, top carmaker Hyundai Motor shed 0.4 percent to 184,000 won, and leading car battery maker LG Energy Solution was down 1.3 percent to 442,500 won.

Among gainers, KG Mobility, formerly SsangYong Motor, jumped 6.8 percent to 8,380 won, state utility Korea Electric Power Corp. climbed 0.2 percent to 18,790 won, and No. 2 steelmaker Hyundai Steel was down 0.6 percent to 35,550 won.

The local currency was trading at 1,306.40 won against the dollar, down 8.9 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)