South Korean shares snap four-day slump in wobbly trade

Kitco Media
By Reuters
Published:
Updated:
Reuters



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KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers

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Korean won weakens against dollar

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South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

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For the midday report, please click SEOUL, May 15 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:


** South Korean shares reversed early losses to close higher on Monday, snapping a four-session losing streak, although global trading sentiment was wobbly due to uncertainties over the U.S. debt ceiling negotiations.
** The benchmark KOSPI rose 3.93 points, or 0.16%, to end at 2,479.35, after falling up to 0.2% on the day.
** Uncertainty regarding the raising of the debt ceiling for the U.S. weighed on investor sentiment, where President Joe Biden is set to meet congressional leaders in order to raise the nation's debt limit to avoid a default.
** Underscoring the nervous sentiment, the number of losing stocks far outpaced gainers by 552 to 316, while the KOSPI averted a slide, supported by heavyweight Samsung Electronics and LG Chem .
** Samsung Electronics rose 0.62% and peer SK Hynix lost 0.92%, while battery maker LG Energy Solution declined 0.37%.
** State-run electricity producer Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) fell 2.13% as the government's delayed, small electricity price increase fell short of expectations.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 53.7 billion won ($40.65 million).


** The won ended onshore trade at 1,337.0 per dollar, 0.19% lower than its previous close at 1,334.5.


** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,337.1 per dollar, up 0.4% on the day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,334.5.
** The KOSPI rose 10.86% so far this year, and gained 1.3% in the previous 30 trading sessions.
** The won lost 5.4% against the dollar so far this year.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.18 points to 104.97.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 5.2 basis points to 3.276%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 6.0 basis points to 3.331%.


($1 = 1,320.9300 won) (Reporting by Choonsik Yoo; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

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