Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

 

** South Korean shares jumped more than 1% on Friday and logged their fourth straight weekly gain, tracking strength in global peers on bets for a pause in U.S. monetary tightening.

** The Korean won hit its highest level in more than two months, while the benchmark bond yield fell.

** The benchmark KOSPI closed up 30.31 points, or 1.16%, at 2,641.16, the highest since June 2, 2022. It rose 1.53% this week.

** "The KOSPI tracked overnight gains in U.S. big techs amid hopes for a rate hold at the Federal Reserve's meeting next week," said analyst Lee Kyoung-min at Daishin Securities.

** The number of new claims for U.S. unemployment benefits last week surged to the highest level in more than 1-1/2 years, data showed overnight, supporting views for a pause in the Fed's tightening.

** Chipmaker Samsung Electronics rose 1.55%, peer SK Hynix surged 5.20%, and battery maker LG Energy Solution jumped 3.05%.

** Samsung Biologics gained 2.04% after the biopharmaceutical manufacturer signed a contract worth 535 billion won ($414.67 million) with Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals.

** Among other index heavyweights, Hyundai Motor rose 0.20%, while its sister automaker Kia Corp jumped 1.84%. Search engine Naver and instant messenger Kakao were a little changed.

** Of the total 935 issues traded, 490 shares rose.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 475.3 billion won ($368.40 million) on Friday, or 26.4 billion won for the week, extending their buying spree to a ninth straight week.

** The won ended onshore trade at 1,291.5 per dollar, 0.94% higher, after hitting its highest level since March 31. It strengthened by 1.10% for the week.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 2.7 basis points to 3.516%, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell by 1.5 basis points to 3.617%. ($1 = 1,290.1900 won) (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; editing by Eileen Soreng)