South Korean shares fall more than 4% on renewed US-Iran tensions

Samsung Electronics Co

Wed 08:01

KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers
Korean won strengthens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
For the midday report, please click nL1N42I012

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

** South Korean shares fell more than 4% on Wednesday, as worries mounted over rising hostilities in the Middle East.
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed down 366.11 points, or 4.52%, at 7,730.82. On Tuesday, it rose 8.2%, after falling 8.3% the day before. 
** During the session on Wednesday, the index fell as much as 6.86%, triggering a "sidecar" trading curb. 
** The U.S. on Tuesday launched strikes against Iran after President Donald Trump said Tehran had shot down a U.S. Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz, deepening doubts over a potential peace deal and further straining a fragile ceasefire.
** South Korea's finance minister agreed with other top economic policymakers to closely monitor risk around increased volatility in financial markets and its impact on various sectors, the ministry said.    
** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS fell 6.06%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS lost 7.54%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS slid 2.77%.
** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were down 5.79% and down 2.80%, respectively.
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS shed 0.41%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 0.15%.
** Of the total 921 traded issues, 343 shares advanced, while 550 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 2.8 trillion won ($1.84 billion). 
** The won was quoted at 1,524.2 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.56% higher than its previous close at 1,532.7.
** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 gained 0.12 point to 103.13.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell by 1.9 basis points to 3.886%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 0.4 basis point to 4.268%.

($1 = 1,524.6900 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)
 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))