South Korean shares drop 2% as firmer won weighs on exporters
KOSPI falls; chip, auto stocks drop
Korean won hits near 9-month high
South Korea benchmark bond yield steady
For the midday report, please click nL1N3LC024
SEOUL, Sept 30 (Reuters) -Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares dropped more than 2% on Monday, as major exporters underperformed on concerns that a stronger local currency could lower overseas demand and weigh on their earnings.
** The South Korean won tracked sharp gains in the Japanese yen, and firmed to a nearly nine-month high.
** Strength in the local currency is usually considered a negative for exporting companies as it reduces their earnings from overseas sales in terms of converted value.
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed 2.13% lower at 2,593.27, its lowest level since Sept. 19 and the biggest daily percentage loss since Sept. 4.
** The index lost nearly 1% this month, and extended its monthly losses for a third time.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 1 trillion won ($764.35 million).
** That brought foreigners' monthly selling of local shares to 7.9 trillion won, their biggest monthly sell-off since May 2021.
** "Foreigners were seen selling shares across sectors, and export stocks fell as the won tracked recent gains in the Japanese yen to rise sharply," said Na Jeong-hwan, an analyst at NH Investment Securities.
** Shares of South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS fell 4.2% to their lowest levels since late March 2023 and peer SK Hynix 000660.KS lost 5%. Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS declined 4.1% and 4.7%, respectively.
** Mobile carrier KT Corp 030200.KS ended 0.3% lower, after rising earlier in the session on an agreement with Microsoft MSFT.O for cooperation on artificial intelligence.
** Search engine Naver 035420.KS fell 0.6% despite an announcement of share cancellation and buy-back plans.
** The country's factory output increased in August by the most in a year, supported by production of cars and chips, according to data.
** The central bank governor said he would need to discuss with board members the impact of recent government measures aimed at taming household debt, when asked about the possibility of lowering interest rates next week.
** The won was quoted at 1,310.4 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, after hitting its strongest level since Jan. 2 at 1,303.4.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell by 1.9 basis points to 2.811%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell 0.2 basis point to 2.997%.
** Financial markets in South Korea will be closed on Tuesday and Thursday for public holidays.
($1 = 1,308.3000 won)
Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips
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