Seoul shares closed higher Friday as renewed confidence in the artificial intelligence(AI) sector and lower‑than‑expected U.S. inflation data lifted investor sentiment.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 26‑point‑04 points, or zero‑point‑65 percent, to close at four‑thousand‑20‑point‑55. The main bourse ended the week down 146‑point‑61 points, or three‑point‑52 percent, from the previous Friday’s close.

Trading volume was moderate at 426 million shares worth 15‑point‑seven trillion won, or about ten‑point‑six billion U.S. dollars, with gainers outnumbering losers 604 to 276.

Market sentiment improved after U.S. chipmaker Micron posted stronger‑than‑expected earnings, easing concerns about an AI bubble that reports of funding challenges at Oracle had fueled.

The U.S. consumer price index, which rose two‑point‑seven percent in November from the previous year, encouraged investors to move into riskier assets, even though the figures were incomplete due to the federal government shutdown.

In Seoul, automaker Hyundai Motor and defense firm Hanwha Aerospace led the winners, jumping by two‑point‑21 and three‑point‑88 percent, respectively.

Among tech and platform stocks, Naver gained two‑point‑17 percent, and Kakao rose one‑point‑93 percent.

However, Samsung Electronics lost one‑point‑21, while SK hynix slipped zero‑point‑91 percent, respectively.

The tech‑heavy KOSDAQ advanced 13‑point‑94 points, or one‑point‑55 percent, to close at 915‑point‑27.

The South Korean won strengthened against the U.S. dollar by two won, trading at one‑thousand‑476‑point‑three won as of 3:30 p.m.