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KOSPI almost flat, foreigners net buyers
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Korean won weakens against dollar
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South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
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For the midday report, please click urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N37D03O
SEOUL, May 16 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:
** South Korean shares closed flat after a lacklustre trade
on Tuesday, with gains by a few heavyweight issues barely
offsetting selloff amid concerns about China's weak economic
recovery and uncertainties over the U.S. debt ceiling talks.
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 0.89 points, or
0.04%, at 2,480.24. Still, losers far outnumbered gainers by 565
to 305, reflecting a weak underlying sentiment.
** Technology giant Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose
1.40% and peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 4.63%, while battery
maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS declined 0.92%.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 226.2 billion
won ($171.24 million).
** The won ended onshore trade KRW=KFTC at 1,338.6 per
dollar, 0.12% lower than its previous close at 1,337.0.
** In offshore trading, the won KRW= was quoted at 1,338.1
per dollar, down 0.2% on the day, while in non-deliverable
forward trading its one-month contract KRW1MNDFOR= was quoted
at 1,335.5.
** The KOSPI has risen 10.90% so far this year, and gained
1.1% in the previous 30 trading sessions.
** The won has lost 5.5% against the dollar so far this
year.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year
treasury bonds KTBc1 rose 0.12 points to 105.08.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 3.5 basis points to 3.245%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield fell by 2.3 basis points to 3.309%.
($1 = 1,320.9300 won)
(Reporting by Choonsik Yoo)
((choonsik.yoo@thomsonreuters.com))