South Korean shares fall after two-day rebound as chipmakers drag

LG Energy Solution

12/03/2026 02:22

KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers

Korean won weakens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield flat

SEOUL, March 12 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares fell on Thursday, after two sessions of gains, dragged down by heavyweight chipmakers, while investors' focus remained on the developments around the Middle East conflict.

** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was down 27.52 points, or 0.49%, at 5,582.43 as of 0204 GMT. It briefly turned higher during the session after opening lower.

** The KOSPI rose 1.4% on Wednesday after gaining 5.3% on Tuesday.

** U.S. stocks closed lower on Wednesday as markets largely looked past a tame inflation report, focusing instead on intensifying hostilities and mounting repercussions related to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. .N

** Chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS fell 1.21% and peer SK Hynix 000660.KS lost 0.94%, dragging the benchmark lower.

** Among other index heavyweights, battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 0.54%, while Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were down 1.51% and up 1.23%, respectively.

** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 0.87%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS fell 2.66%.

** Of the total 925 traded issues, 532 shares advanced, while 346 declined.

** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 821.4 billion won ($555.56 million).

** The won was quoted at 1,478.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.10% lower than its previous close at 1,477.0.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 lost 0.11 point to 104.86.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose by 4.4 basis points to 3.295%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR was flat at 3.617%.

($1 = 1,478.5000 won)

(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Rashmi Aich)

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