*
KOSPI flat, foreigners net buyers
*
Korean won weakens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
SEOUL, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:
** South Korean shares traded flat on Tuesday, as investors
refrained from making bets ahead of major monetary policy events
later this week. The Korean won weakened, while the benchmark
bond yield rose.
** The benchmark KOSPI was up 5.07 points, or 0.21%,
to 2,460.19 as of 0203 GMT.
** The index traded in a narrow range of between -0.4% and
+0.5% during most of the early session, following a marginal
move of 0.16% gain in the previous session.
** The U.S. stock market was closed on Monday for a public
holiday.
** The U.S. Federal Reserve will release the minutes of its
latest policy meeting this week, while the Bank of Korea is
expected to keep its policy rate unchanged at its rate decision
meeting on Thursday.
** South Korea's exports for the first 20 days of February
fell 2.3% from the same period a year before, despite more
working days.
** "There is no market driving factor seen ahead of major
events due later this week," said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at
Mirae Asset Securities.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics fell
0.64% and peer SK Hynix lost 0.97%, but battery
maker LG Energy Solution added 0.58%.
** Of the total 934 issues traded, 567 shares advanced.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 21.9 billion
won ($16.90 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,295.9 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform , 0.11% lower than its previous close at 1,294.5.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds fell 0.04 point to 103.50.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
rose by 4.6 basis points to 3.707%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield rose by 4.6 basis points to 3.657%.
($1 = 1,295.5800 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
