Seoul shares closed lower Wednesday as most tech stocks and autos finished in negative terrain. The local currency rose against the US dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) lost 15.58 points, or 0.56 percent, to close at 2,758.71.

Trade volume was moderate at 458.6 million shares worth 10.9 trillion won ($7.87 billion) with losers outnumbering gainer 489 to 368.

Foreigners offloaded a net 271.7 billion won worth of local shares, while institutions and retail investors net purchased 39.5 billion won and 242.1 billion won, respectively.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics tumbled 2.26 percent to 82,000 won on a Reuters report that the tech giant has yet to meet Nvidia's standards for fifth-generation HBM3E chips.

Its local rival SK hynix, on the other hand, rose 1.71 percent to 208,500 won.

Most other tech shares closed lower, with leading battery maker LG Energy Solution dipping 1.38 percent to 321,500 won, while its local rival Samsung SDS dipped 0.07 percent to 150,900 won.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor lost 1.90 percent to 258,500 won, with its smaller affiliate Kia Motors falling 1.74 percent to 118,400 won.

The local currency traded at 1,383.80 won against the greenback as of 3:30 p.m., up 2.40 won from the previous session's close. (Yonhap)