Stocks in South Korea were off to a slow start when the market opened after a four-day holiday.  

As of 9:40 a.m., the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) traded at one-thousand-901-point-25 points, down by 46-point-31 points or two-point-38 percent from last Wednesday’s closing. 

Declines in the U.S. stock market as South Koreans marked Buddha’s birthday and Labor Day were attributed to the weak opening. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell one-point-two percent and two-point-55 percent on Thursday and Friday, respectively.  

The local market was also affected by concerns over a worsening U.S.-China trade war following a blame game between the world’s two largest economies over the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The secondary bourse KOSDAQ was down three-point-77 points, or zero-point-58 percent, at 641-point-41 points as of 9:40 a.m.