South Korean shares rise in cautious trade ahead of US data

Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

South Korean shares ended up on Monday, tracking Friday’s rise on Wall Street, but lost nearly half of the early gains on caution ahead of the releases of U.S. inflation and bank lending data later this week.

The benchmark KOSPI closed 12.27 points, or 0.49%, higher at 2,513.21. It was far off the session’s high of 2,525.84 points, representing a 1% rise on the day.

Technology giant Samsung Electronics rose 1.23% and peer SK Hynix was flat, while battery maker LG Energy Solution declined 1.06%.

Of the total 931 issues traded, 573 shares gained.

Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 249.1 billion won ($188.54 million).

The won ended onshore trade at 1,321.4 per dollar, 0.11% higher than its previous close at 1,322.8.

In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,320.7 per dollar, down 0.2% on the day, while in non-deliverable forward trading, its one-month contract was quoted at 1,318.2.

The KOSPI has risen 12.38% so far this year and gained 3.5% in the previous 30 trading sessions.

The won has lost 4.3% against the dollar so far this year.

In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.14 points to 105.03.

The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 4.5 basis points to 3.253%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 2.1 bps to 3.301%.