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KOSPI falls, foreigners net buyers
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Korean won strengthens against dollar
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South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
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For the midday report, please click SEOUL, April 20 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares closed lower on Thursday, as market heavyweights automakers and battery manufacturers dropped after U.S. electric-vehicle giant Tesla's first-quarter results came in below expectations.
** The Korean won strengthened, while the benchmark bond
yield rose.
** The benchmark KOSPI ended down 11.97 points, or
0.46%, at 2,563.11, marking its second day of fall in last 10
sessions after Tuesday's 0.19% drop.
** "Each sector traded on its own issues, with the
rechargeable battery sector weighed down by profit-taking
pressure from continuous gains," said analyst Lee Kyoung-min at
Daishin Securities.
** Tesla Inc boss Elon Musk on Wednesday doubled
down on the price war he started at the end of last year, after
the company reported a quarterly gross margin that was the
lowest in two years and below analysts' estimates.
** Battery maker LG Energy Solution fell 0.34%,
while peers Samsung SDI and SK Innovation dropped 1.19% and 1.12%, respectively.
** Hyundai Motor lost 0.57%, and its sister
automaker Kia Corp fell 1.52%.
** Of the total 932 issues traded, 233 shares rose.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 156.1 billion
won ($118.10 million).
** The won ended onshore trade at 1,322.8 per
dollar, 0.22% higher than its previous close.
** It rose towards the end of the session, after falling as
much as 0.50% earlier to hit a near five-month low of 1,332.3.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.06 point to 104.76.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield was
flat at 3.333%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 3.1
basis points to 3.401%.
($1 = 1,321.8100 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
