South Korea stocks set for best session in almost a year

SEOUL: Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares were set for the sharpest daily gain in almost a year on Thursday, as it reopened from a three-day holiday and pushed higher to track the rally in global stocks. The Korean won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.

** The benchmark KOSPI rose 59.76 points, or 2.24%, to 2,721.47 as of 0312 GMT, set for the biggest daily gain since the index gained 3.5% on Feb. 25, 2021.

** Among the heavyweights, technology giant Samsung Electronics and peer SK Hynix rose 1.23% and 4.98%, respectively; LG Chem shares were up 6.10% and Naver rose 4.68%.

South Korea stocks set for worst week since onset of pandemic

** External uncertainties were moderating over the national holiday and local shares seem to be catching up to that, but remaining uncertainties including widening trade deficit is one of the risks ahead, said Lee Won, an analyst at Bookook Securities.

** South Korea's factory activity grew at the sharpest pace since July last year as output and new order picked up but persistent supply chain woes weighed on the outlook, a private-sector survey showed on Thursday.

** Foreigners were net sellers of 42.7 billion won worth of shares on the main board.

** The won was quoted at 1,205.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.02% higher than its previous close at 1,205.5.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,205.1 per dollar, down 0.5% from the previous day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,205.5.

** The KOSPI has fallen 8.60% so far this year, but lost 11.4% in the previous 30 trading sessions.

** The won has lost 1.4% against the dollar so far this year.

** The most liquid 3-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 3.1 basis points to 2.157%, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell by 3.2 basis points to 2.554%.