South Korean stocks end higher, but post biggest annual loss since 2008

SEOUL: Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korea's KOSPI stock index closed up on Friday after Wall Street rebounded for a second day, but ended the year with its biggest annual loss since 2008, with a 17.3 percent decline. The won and bond yields also rose.

** The country's financial markets will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, and will resume trading on Wednesday one hour later than usual, at 0100 GMT.

** South Korea's customs agency said on Friday the country's exports this year exceeded $600 billion to reach a record high as of today, becoming the seventh country to reach the $600 billion export milestone.

** The KOSPI closed up 12.60 points or 0.62 percent at 2,041.04.

** The benchmark index dipped 17.3 percent so far this year, and by 2.7 percent in the past 30 days. For the week, the KOSPI index fell nearly 1 percent.

** Variables to watch out in Jan. 2019 include economic data from major countries, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's comments from the joint discussion with former Fed chairs, Trump-Powell meeting, U.S.-China trade negotiations, U.S. political shutdown, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's New Year address and U.S.-North Korea talks, said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.

** Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Co Ltd said on Friday its affiliate Hyundai Oilbank's IPO plan has been delayed and aims for a listing next year.

** Shares of low budget carrier Air Busan Co Ltd , an affiliate of Asiana Airlines Inc, surged more than 20 percent on their second day of trading, extending sharp gains from its first trading day.

** The won was quoted at 1,115.7 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.39 percent firmer than its previous close at 1,120.

** The won tumbled 4.1 percent so far this year, while it rose by 0.5 percent in the past 30 days. For the week, it was up 0.6 percent.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,114.68 per U.S. dollar, up 0.39 percent from the previous day, while in one-year non-deliverable forwards it was being transacted at 1,097.15 per dollar.

** MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.83 percent, after U.S. stocks ended the previous session with mild gains. Japanese stocks weakened 0.31 percent.

** The current price-to-earnings ratio is 12.10, the dividend yield is 1.28 percent and the market capitalisation is 1,242.04 trillion won.

** The trading volume during the session on the KOSPI index  was 347,842,000 shares and, of the total 897 traded issues, the number of advancing shares was 577.

** Foreigners were net buyers of 202,732 million won worth of shares.

** The U.S dollar has risen 4.53 percent against the won this year. The won's high for the year is 1,053.55 per dollar on April 2 and the low is 1,146.26 on Oct. 11.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.03 points to 109.21 from the previous 109.24.

** The Korean 3-month Certificate of Deposit benchmark rate was quoted at 1.92 percent, while the benchmark 3-year Korean treasury bond yielded 1.819 percent, higher than the previous day's 1.81 percent.