South Korean shares end higher on auto, e-commerce boost

Kakao

10/03/2025 07:00

KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers

Korean won weakens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

For the midday report, please click nL1N3PT00X

SEOUL, March 10 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares closed higher on Monday, driven by strong performances from automakers and e-commerce firms as traders assessed Wall Street's strength from the previous session, although steelmakers fell on U.S. tariff jitters.

** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 6.91 points, or 0.27%, at 2,570.39.

** U.S. stocks finished higher on Friday, rebounding from early decline after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the economy was "in a good place". .N

** "His comments calmed excessive market worries about an economic slowdown," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities.

** Among index heavyweights, South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS was flat and peer SK Hynix 000660.KS lost 2.34%, but battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 3.10%.

** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS added 0.41% and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS gained 1.24%, while search engine Naver 035420.KS and instant messenger Kakao 035720.KS closed up 0.94% and 3.77%, respectively.

** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS fell 2.05% and Hyundai Steel 004020.KS lost 6.91% after U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said steel tariffs would take effect as scheduled on Wednesday.

** Of the total 941 traded issues, 408 shares advanced, while 469 declined.

** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 436.2 billion won ($300.34 million).

** The won was quoted at 1,452.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.19% lower than its previous close at 1,449.5.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 fell 0.10 point to 106.70.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose by 2.5 basis points to 2.590%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR rose by 0.1 basis points to 2.793%.

     ($1 = 1,452.3600 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))