*
KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers
*
Korean won weakens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
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For the midday report, please click SEOUL, March 20 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares fell on Monday, as investors remained
cautious despite a Swiss bank Credit Suisse takeover
deal hurriedly engineered to calm global markets. The Korean won
weakened, while the benchmark bond yield dropped.
** The benchmark KOSPI closed down 16.49 points, or
0.69% at 2,379.20.
** Prior to Asian trade hours, Swiss authorities engineered
UBS takeover of Credit Suisse and global central banks agreed on
a liquidity measure to provide relief across markets from a
potential banking sector turmoil.
** "But, the issue has not been resolved for all, and there
are concerns that the banking trouble may spill into an economic
one," Mirae Asset Securities analyst Seo Sang-young said.
** Investors' focus is also on the Federal Reserve's
interest rate decision meeting later this week, where the U.S.
central bank is expected to deliver a 25 basis point (bp) hike.
** Among the index heavyweights, chipmakers, automakers and
battery manufacturers fell, but online platform operators Naver and Kakao jumped more than 1% each.
Biopharmaceutical stocks also rose.
** The Korea Exchange Bank Equity Index pared
early gains to end flat. The Finance-major Index and
Securities-minor Index ended down 0.73% and up 0.14%,
respectively.
** Of the total 933 issues traded, 448 shares advanced.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 206.2 billion
won ($157.30 million).
** The won ended onshore trade at 1,310.1 per dollar, 0.60% lower than its previous close at 1,302.2.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds jumped 0.42 points to 104.88.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell 14.7 bps to 3.269%, while the benchmark 10-year yield
dropped 10.2 bps to 3.305%.
($1 = 1,310.8700 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
