*
KOSPI little changed
*
Korean won strengthens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
*
For the midday report, please click SEOUL, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:
** South Korean shares ended flat on Monday, with investors'
focus set on key monetary policy events due later this week. The
Korean won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.
** The U.S. Federal Reserve will release the minutes of
its latest policy meeting this week, while the Bank of Korea
will hold its second rate decision meeting for this year.
** The benchmark KOSPI rose 3.91 points, or 0.16%,
to 2,455.12 by the close of the session.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics rose
0.16% and peer SK Hynix gained 0.54%, while battery
maker LG Energy Solution declined 3.19%.
** Of the total 936 issues traded, 562 shares gained.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 312.4 billion
won.
** The won ended onshore trade at 1,294.5 per dollar, 0.39% higher than its previous close at 1,299.5.
** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,294.4
per dollar, up 0.1% on the day, while in non-deliverable forward
trading its one-month contract was quoted at
1,293.0.
** The KOSPI has risen 9.78% so far this year, and gained
8.7% in the previous 30 trading sessions.
** The won has lost 2.3% against the dollar so far this
year.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds fell 0.05 points to 103.66.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
rose by 2.6 basis points to 3.665%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield fell by 1.0 basis points to 3.617%.
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; editing by Uttaresh.V)
