* KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers
* Korean won weakens against dollar
* South Korea benchmark bond yield falls SEOUL, March 14 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares fell nearly 2% early on Tuesday as fears of a U.S. banking crisis soured appetite for riskier assets.
** The won also weakened, albeit modestly, as foreign
sell-off of local shares added to the weakened appetite for
riskier assets including emerging-market currencies.
** The benchmark KOSPI stock index was down 45.60
points, or 1.89%, at 2,365.00, as of 0210 GMT, after declining
2.3% earlier in the session. Banks dropped 2.26%.
** Fallout from the collapse of U.S. lenders Silicon Valley
Bank and Signature Bank widened overnight,
despite government efforts to shore up confidence.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics fell
1.17% and peer SK Hynix lost 2.73%, while battery
maker LG Energy Solution declined 2.31%.
** Of the total 932 issues traded, only 42 shares gained.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 337.8 billion
won ($258.82 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,305.7 per dollar on the onshore
settlement platform , 0.30% lower than its previous
close at 1,301.8.
** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,305.2
per dollar, down 0.7% on the day, while in non-deliverable
forward trading its one-month contract was quoted
at 1,301.2.
** The KOSPI has risen 5.75% so far this year, but lost 3.0%
in the previous 30 trading sessions.
** The won has lost 3.2% against the dollar so far this
year.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.41 point to 104.76.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 11.0 basis points to 3.322%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield fell by 8.4 basis points to 3.314%.
($1 = 1,305.1300 won)
(Reporting by Choonsik Yoo; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
