*
KOSPI slightly up, foreigners net buyers
*
Korean won weakens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
*
For the midday report, please click SEOUL, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:
** South Korean shares closed almost flat on Tuesday as
investors refrained from taking big positions ahead of a slew of
monetary policy events and data releases due later in the week.
The Korean won weakened and the benchmark bond yield fell.
** The benchmark KOSPI closed up 3.84 points, or
0.16%, at 2,458.96. It was the second straight session when the
benchmark index logged a daily gain of less than 0.2%.
** 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 on Wednesday, while the Bank of Korea is
expected to keep its policy rate unchanged at a 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.
** Investor sentiment was weak amid mixed expectations over
future monetary policies, said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at
Daishin Securities.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics fell
0.96% and peer SK Hynix lost 1.41%, but battery
maker LG Energy Solution rose 0.78%.
** Of the total 936 issues traded, 551 shares advanced.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 17.9 billion
won ($13.82 million).
** The won ended onshore trade at 1,295.9 per dollar, 0.11% lower than its previous close at 1,294.5.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.16 point to 103.70.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 2.2 basis points to 3.639%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield fell by 0.7 basis point to 3.604%.
($1 = 1,295.3400 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
