*
KOSPI little changed
*
Korean won touches near five-month low
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield climbs
SEOUL, April 20 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares were marginally down on Thursday, moving in a narrow range in subdued trading due to lack of any market drivers, with investor focus set on major companies' earnings next week.
** The Korean won touched a near five-month low, while the
benchmark bond yield rose.
** The benchmark KOSPI fell 3.71 points, or 0.14%,
to 2,571.37, as of 0112 GMT.
** It followed two straight sessions of daily changes of less than 0.2% in either direction. The index had hit a 10-month high on Monday.
** "The market is lacking upside drivers amid few
macroeconomic news," said analyst Huh Jae-hwan at Eugene
Investment and Securities.
** South Korea's major companies, including main chipmakers
and automakers, are scheduled to release their first quarter
results next week.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics fell
0.61% and peer SK Hynix lost 0.45%, while battery
maker LG Energy Solution added 0.17%.
** Most other index heavyweights also rose or fell by less than 1%.
** Of the total 927 issues traded, only 250 shares rose.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 44.4 billion
won ($33.34 million).
** The won was quoted 0.23% lower at 1,328.8 per dollar on
the onshore settlement platform , after hitting its
lowest level since Nov. 29, 2022 at 1,332.3.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year
treasury bonds fell 0.02 point to 104.68.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
rose by 2.8 basis points to 3.361%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield rose by 3.8 basis points to 3.408%.
($1 = 1,331.7800 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
