*
KOSPI jumps, foreigners net buyers
*
Korean won strengthens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
SEOUL, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:
** South Korean shares rose nearly 2% on Thursday, as strong
U.S. retail sales data relieved investors' concern about
recession. The won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield
fell.
** The benchmark KOSPI rose 45.66 points, or 1.88%,
to 2,473.56, by 0251 GMT, recovering all of the 1.53% loss the
index suffered after U.S. inflation data.
** U.S. retail sales increased by the most in nearly two
years in January, data showed overnight, pointing to the
economy's continued resilience despite higher borrowing costs.
** "Investors are taking good news as good news, with little
doubt strong economic indicators will lead to faster monetary
tightening by the U.S. Federal Reserve," said Huh Jae-hwan, an
analyst at Eugene Investment and Securities.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics rose
2.09%, peer SK Hynix gained 1.20%, and battery maker
LG Energy Solution jumped 3.42%.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 20.7 billion
won ($16.17 million).
** The won traded at 1,280.3 per dollar in
onshore trade, slightly higher than the previous session's close
of 1,282.2.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.15 point to 104.29.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 4.6 basis points (bps) to 3.451%, while the benchmark
10-year yield fell by 2.4 bps to 3.438%.
($1 = 1,280.4200 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
