*
KOSPI down marginally, foreigners net buyers
*
Korean won strengthens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
SEOUL, April 25 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares traded marginally lower on Tuesday, declining for the fourth straight session, as investors awaited the earnings of local manufacturers as well as big tech companies in the United States.
** The Korean won strengthened and the benchmark bond yield
rose slightly after GDP data that came in slightly above
expectations.
** The benchmark KOSPI was down 2.68 points, or
0.11%, at 2,520.82, as of 0130 GMT.
** South Korea's heavily trade-reliant economy barely
averted a recession, posting slim growth in the first quarter,
but the outlook remained clouded by weak exports due to a
cooling global economy in spite of China's reopening.
** Major chipmakers and automakers in South Korea are due to
report their first-quarter results this week.
** "GDP data had little impact on the market, which will
unlikely improve going forward amid weakening exports and
sluggish domestic demand," said Seo Sang-young, analyst at Mirae
Asset Securities.
** Small-cap content producer stocks rallied after global
platform giant Netflix Inc announced a $2.5 billion
investment plan to produce South Korean TV series, movies and
scripted shows, following a meeting between President Yoon Suk
Yeol and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.
** Aerospace stocks jumped, with Hanwha Aerospace up 4.14% and Korea Aerospace up 3.64%.
Yoon is also scheduled to visit NASA during his trip.
** Among the index heavyweights, chipmakers, battery makers,
online service providers and biopharmaceutical stocks fell, but
automakers gained.
** Of the total 932 issues traded, 372 shares rose.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 31.1 billion
won ($23.4 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,331.5 per dollar on the onshore
settlement platform , 0.25% higher than its previous
close.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year
treasury bonds fell 0.04 point to 105.03.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
rose by 1.7 (bps) to 3.247%, while the benchmark 10-year yield
rose by 1.0 bps to 3.316%.
($1 = 1,331.4800 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sonia Cheema)
