South Korea shares snap three-session winning streak as virus cases jump, US yields rise

SEOUL: Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares fell on Wednesday, after gaining for three consecutive sessions, as investor sentiment sapped on concerns over rising coronavirus cases at home and following a surge in US Treasury yields on worries that a stimulus-fuelled global recovery will stoke inflation.

** The won weakened to a one-week low, while the benchmark bond yield rose.

** The benchmark KOSPI ended down 29.52 points, or 0.93%, at 3,133.73, after tumbling as much as 1.5% in early trade.

** South Korea's prime minister, Chung Sye-kyun, warned against the loosening enforcement of social-distancing rules after the country reported 621 new infections as of Tuesday midnight, the highest levels in 39 days.

** Among major heavyweights, chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix dropped 2% and 1.9%, respectively, while LG Chem and Hyundai Motor slipped 2.2% and 1.6% each.

** US Treasury yields hit one-year highs on Wednesday, lending support to the dollar but pressuring lofty valuations for stocks, as investors reckoned that a stimulus-fuelled global recovery will eventually bring rising inflation.

** Foreigners were net sellers of 509.3 billion won ($459.71 million) worth of shares on the main board.

** The won ended at 1,107.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.67% weaker than its previous close at 1,100.1.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,107.3 per dollar, down 0.1% from the previous day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,107.2.

** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.04 points to 111.57.

** The most liquid 3-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 0.3 basis points to 0.988%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 1.7 basis points to 1.867%.