*
KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers
*
Korean won strengthens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield flat
SEOUL, March 21 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares rose on Tuesday as investor fears
over a global banking crisis eased, with the focus shifting to
the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting due this week. The
Korean won firmed, while the benchmark bond yield was flat.
** The benchmark KOSPI was up 12.34 points, or
0.52%, at 2,391.54, as of 0137 GMT.
** "There are risks remaining under the surface, pointing to
a possibility of aftershocks," said Mirae Asset Securities
analyst Kim Seok-hwan, adding that gains were also capped by
caution ahead of the Fed's meeting.
** The U.S. central bank is mostly expected to raise
interest rates by 25 basis points this week.
** South Korean exports for the first 20 days of March fell
17.4% from the comparable period of last year, as demand from
China remained weak, customs agency data showed.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics rose
0.33%, peer SK Hynix gained 0.48% and battery maker
LG Energy Solution advanced 1.47%.
** Asian shares were steady after UBS Group's state-backed
takeover of Credit Suisse appeared to close off one source of
worry for the global banking sector.
** Of the total 931 issues traded, 483 shares rose.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 56.8 billion
won ($43.41 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,308.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform , 0.12% higher than its previous close at 1,310.1.
** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds fell 0.11 points to 104.77.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 0.2 basis point to 3.267%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield dropped 0.3 basis point to 3.302%.
($1 = 1,308.3600 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
