*
KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers
*
Korean won weakens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
SEOUL, May 8 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares gained nearly 1% by midday on Monday,
tracking a rises in U.S. stocks last week, thanks to robust
employment data easing concerns about economic growth.
** The benchmark KOSPI rose 21.90 points, or 0.88%,
to 2,522.84 as of 01:53 GMT.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd rose 1.23% and peer SK Hynix Inc lost 0.23%, while
battery maker LG Energy Solution Ltd advanced 1.06%.
** Gains were broad-based, with 650 issues rising out of the
total 928 issues traded.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 191.7 billion
won ($144.8 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,324.5 per dollar on the onshore
settlement platform , 0.13% lower than its previous
close at 1,322.8.
** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,323.9
per dollar, down 0.5% on the day, while in non-deliverable
forward trading its one-month contract was quoted
at 1,321.2.
** The KOSPI has risen 12.81% so far this year, and gained
3.5% in the previous 30 trading sessions.
** The won has lost 4.5% against the dollar so far this
year.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year
treasury bonds fell 0.13 point to 105.04.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
rose by 4.1 basis points (bps) to 3.249%, while the benchmark
10-year yield rose by 1.8 bps to 3.298%.
($1 = 1,323.7400 won)
(Reporting by Choonsik Yoo; Editing by Sonia Cheema)
