South Korean shares rise as Samsung Electronics hits record high

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KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers

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Korean won strengthens against dollar

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South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

SEOUL, - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares rose on Friday, as chipmakers tracked a rally in their U.S. peers on artificial intelligence optimism, with Samsung Electronics hitting an all-time high.

** The won hit its highest level in nearly two months, while the benchmark bond yield rose.

** The benchmark KOSPI was up 30.84 points, or 0.75%, at 4,139.46, as of 0208 GMT.

** U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday, while Micron Technology climbed 3.8% to a closing record, continuing its rally after the chipmaker issued a strong forecast last week.

** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics rose 4.77%, hitting its highest level on record, while peer SK Hynix gained 2.55%.

** Battery maker LG Energy Solution slid 1.79%, while Hyundai Motor and sister automaker Kia Corp were down 0.35% and 0.62%, respectively.

** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings shed 1.59%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics fell 0.59%.

** Of the total 929 traded issues, 226 shares advanced, while 647 declined.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 893.6 billion won .

** The won was quoted at 1,441.2 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.31% higher than its previous close at 1,445.7. The currency hit its highest level since November 4 at 1,438.0.

** South Korea's national pension fund initiated a new round of strategic foreign exchange hedging operations on Wednesday, as authorities stepped up market-stabilising efforts.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds lost 0.02 point to 105.44.

** The most-liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 1.9 basis points to 2.953%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 2.9 basis points to 3.371%.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.