Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares posted their sharpest fall in nearly a month on Wednesday, following Wall Street's retreat overnight as investors awaited U.S. inflation data to gauge the pace of the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes. The Korean won weakened, and/while the benchmark bond yield rose.

** The benchmark KOSPI fell 22.58 points, or 0.90%, to close at 2,480.88 as of 06:30 GMT, its biggest decline since July 12.

** Among the heavyweights, technology giant Samsung Electronics fell 1.50% and peer SK Hynix fell 3.47%, while battery maker LG Energy Solution rose 0.11%.

** Tech stocks tracked declines in U.S. peers' shares overnight, amid cautious ahead of U.S. inflation data, said Kim Seok-hwan, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.

** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 102.2 billion won ($77.99 million) on the main board.

** The won was quoted at 1,310.4 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.44% lower than its previous close at 1,304.6.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,310.3 per dollar, down 0.3% from the previous day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,309.7.

** The KOSPI has fallen 16.68% so far this year, but gained 3.4% in the previous 30 trading sessions.

** The trading volume during the session was 471.73 million shares. Of the total 929 traded issues, only 301 rose.

** The won has lost 9.3% against the dollar so far this year.

** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.11 points to 105.15.

** The most liquid 3-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 2.6 basis points to 3.161%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 4.5 basis points to 3.213%. ($1 = 1,310.4000 won) (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Additional reporting by Youn Ah Moon; Editing by Rashmi Aich)


Reuters