*
KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers
*
Korean won strengthens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
SEOUL, April 5 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares rose marginally on Wednesday, gaining
for a second consecutive session, on buying from institutional
investors. The Korean won strengthened, while the benchmark bond
yield fell.
** The benchmark KOSPI was up 5.82 points, or 0.23%,
to 2,486.33 as of 0221 GMT, after rising as much as 0.53% to hit
its highest intraday level since Jan. 27.
** "The benchmark index rose on institutional buying amid
broadly subdued market sentiment except for some specific
sectors," said Kim Seok-hwan, analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.
** Institutional investors were net buyers of shares worth
139.2 billion won ($106.1 million), while foreign and retail
investors were net sellers.
** Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is due to report
its first-quarter results on Friday, with profit likely to
plunge 92% to the lowest for any quarter in 14 years, as a chip
glut worsens and buyers, such as data centres and
computer-makers, slow their purchases amid a global economic
slowdown.
** The chipmaker rose 0.31%, while peer SK Hynix Inc gained 0.59% and battery maker LG Energy Solution
Ltd advanced 0.70%.
** Among other index heavyweights, automakers and
biopharmaceutical stocks also strengthened. Online platform
providers traded flat.
** Of the total 935 issues traded, 414 shares rose.
** The won was quoted at 1,312.4 per dollar on the onshore
settlement platform , 0.26% higher than its previous
close at 1,315.8.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.13 points to 105.12.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 3.8 basis points (bps) to 3.242%, while the benchmark
10-year yield fell by 1.2 bps to 3.304%.
($1 = 1,312.1300 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sonia Cheema)
