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KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers
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Korean won slightly up against dollar
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South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
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For the midday report, please click SEOUL, April 4 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares rose on Tuesday to close at a
two-month high, as online platform operators and
biopharmaceutical stocks gained. The Korean won gained
marginally, while the benchmark bond yield fell.
** The benchmark KOSPI closed up 8.17 points, or
0.33%, at 2,480.51, marking the highest level since Feb. 9.
** South Korea's consumer inflation eased to a one-year low
in March, led by weaker oil prices, but a range of issues
including worries about global growth, monetary policy and
decisions by major oil producers have clouded the outlook.
** "Gains were capped by continued inflation worries from an
OPEC+ decision to cut output," said analyst Huh Jae-hwan at
Eugene Investment and Securities.
** "Gaining sectors were mostly those that have little to do
with energy prices, such as biopharmaceutical, internet and game
industries."
** Among biopharmaceutical stocks, Celltrion rallied 6%, SK Bioscience rose 4.29%, and Samsung
Biologics climbed 1.29%.
** Online platform stocks Naver and Kakao advanced 1.41% and 0.83%, respectively.
** Chipmaker SK Hynix dropped 3.10% after it
decided to raise $1.7 billion in its first convertible bond sale
in a decade. Bigger rival Samsung Electronics rose
0.79%.
** Of the total 935 issues traded, 639 shares rose.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 307.5 billion
won ($233.93 million).
** The won ended onshore trade at 1,315.8 per dollar, 0.05% higher than its previous close at 1,316.5.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.23 point to 104.99.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 7.2 basis points to 3.276%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield fell by 7.4 basis points to 3.318%.
($1 = 1,314.5200 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
