The Korea Composite Stock Price Index displayed on an electronic board at Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul showed a sharp decline in South Korean stocks at the opening on Friday, following losses on Wall Street. The benchmark index dropped 1.26 percent in the first 15 minutes of trading, reflecting concerns about the US Federal Reserve's potential delay in rate cuts. The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq Composite also experienced declines due to stronger-than-expected economic reports, leading to speculations about the Fed maintaining higher interest rates for a longer period. In Seoul, major companies such as Samsung Electronics, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, Posco Future M, Hyundai Mobis, Posco Holdings, and LG Chem saw their stock prices decrease. However, SK hynix was one of the few gainers, rising 0.75 percent due to the continued rally of US chip giant Nvidia. Additionally, the local currency traded at 1,371.40 won against the US dollar, marking a 9.0 won decrease from the previous session's close.