South Korean stocks opened higher Friday, heading toward a new all-time high, amid growing hopes that the US Federal Reserve may cut its key rates next week following latest US inflation data that came in line with market expectations.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 24.49 points, or 0.73 percent, to 3,368.69 in the first 15 minutes of trading, breaking the record high of 3,344.2 posted the previous day.

Overnight, Wall Street gathered ground, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumping 1.36 percent, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rising 0.72 percent and the S&P 500 adding 0.85 percent.

Investor sentiment was boosted as the latest US consumer price index buoyed bets the Fed will move to cut key rates next week.

The CPI showed inflation is still above the Fed's 2 percent target but is calm enough for it to give the green light to rate cuts, considering the weakness in the labor market.

In Seoul, chip shares led the KOSPI's rise.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics jumped 2.18 percent, and its chipmaking rival SK hynix soared 5.05 percent.

Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 1 percent, and Kakao, the operator of the country's dominant mobile messenger, surged 2.67 percent.

But major shipbuilders started weak, with HD Hyundai Heavy slipping 2.13 percent, Hanwha Ocean losing 1.51 percent and HD Korea Shipbuilding dipping 2.36 percent.

Power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility also slid 2.62 percent.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor went down 0.67 percent and its sister Kia dropped 0.75 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,389.1 won against the US dollar at 9:15 a.m., up 2.7 won from the previous session. (Yonhap)