*
KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers
*
Korean won weakens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
SEOUL, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:
** South Korean shares rose on Friday, helped by Wall
Street's overnight strength, but the gains were capped by
caution ahead of U.S. inflation data. The Korean won weakened,
while the benchmark bond yield fell.
** The benchmark KOSPI rose 9.81 points, or 0.40%,
to 2,448.90 as of 0059 GMT.
** For the week so far, the index is down 0.1% and is set
for a fourth straight weekly loss.
** "The index traded in a narrow range, having already
priced in the Nvidia boost a day before, and also under the
caution over U.S. inflation data," said Seo Sang-young, an
analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.
** U.S. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index,
due for release later in the day, is expected to show a slower
annual increase for January.
** Nvidia reported a surge in the use of its chips
to power artificial intelligence services. Local chipmakers had
rallied on the news on Thursday, ahead of its 14% jump
overnight.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics rose
0.48%, peer SK Hynix gained 0.54%, and battery maker
LG Energy Solution climbed 1.97%.
** Including the market heavyweights, only 338 shares
advanced among 932 traded issues.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 38.3 billion won ($29.51 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,298.8 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform , down 0.13%.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.11 point to 103.86.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 2.4 basis points to 3.570%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield fell by 3.3 basis points to 3.555%.
($1 = 1,297.8800 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; editing by Uttaresh.V)
