*
KOSPI falls, foreigners net buyers
*
Korean won weakens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
SEOUL, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:
** South Korean shares fell on Friday and were set for their
third straight weekly loss after U.S. data and Federal Reserve
officials' comments ignited higher interest rate worries.
** The Korean won fell to the weakest in nearly two months,
while the benchmark bond yield jumped to a six-week high.
** The benchmark KOSPI fell 14.20 points, or 0.61%,
to 2,461.28 by 0110 GMT.
** For the week so far, the KOSPI was down less than 0.5%.
** Two Federal Reserve officials said on Thursday the U.S.
central bank likely should have lifted interest rates more than
it did early this month.
** Meanwhile, data showed U.S. producer prices increased by
the most in seven months in January. Even stripping out volatile
components, underlying producer inflation rose at its fastest
pace since last March.
** "The stock market fell on hawkish comments and
higher-than-expected price data, but the possibility of
50-basis-point rate hike still seems slim," said Seo Sang-young,
an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics fell
1.10%, peer SK Hynix lost 0.97%, and battery maker
LG Energy Solution declined 2.19%.
** Of the total 933 issues traded, 355 shares advanced.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 60.6 billion
won ($46.81 million).
** The won was quoted 0.68% lower at 1,293.6 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform , after touching the weakest level since Dec. 20, 2022 at 1,294.9.
** The currency weakened more than 2%, extending its weekly losses from last week's 2.83% loss.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds dropped 0.31 point to 103.79.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
rose by 11.0 basis points to 3.615% and the benchmark 10-year
yield by 12.6 basis points to 3.602%, hitting their highest
level since early January.
($1 = 1,294.5100 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; editing by Uttaresh.V)
