KOSPI falls, foreigners net buyers
Korean won weakens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
For the midday report, please click nL1N3XG02W
SEOUL, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares edged down on Wednesday as investors adopted a wait-and-see attitude ahead of a likely interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve later in the day. The won weakened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed down 8.55 points, or 0.21%, at 4,135.00.
** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS fell 0.37%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 3.71%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS slid 0.45%.
** South Korea's Samsung SDI 006400.KS said its unit Samsung SDI America has signed a deal to supply lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries to a U.S. customer for energy storage systems. Shares advanced 3%.
** The Fed is widely expected to announce a rate cut later in the day, but investors expect policymakers to remain divided.
** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia 000270.KS lost 1.47% and 0.32%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS eased 0.16% and drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 0.30%.
** Of the total 928 traded issues, 283 shares advanced, while 593 declined.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 373.8 billion won ($254.3 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,470.7 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.05% below Tuesday's close of 1,469.9.
** In offshore trading, the won KRW= was flat at 1,470.3 per dollar, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract KRW1MNDFOR= was quoted at 1,467.6.
** Year-to-date, the KOSPI has risen 72.33%.
** In the money and debt markets, December futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 lost 0.11 point to 105.18.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose 0.8 basis point to 3.090%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell 3.7 basis points to 3.370%.
($1 = 1,470.1800 won)
(Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Sumana Nandy)
((Cynthia.Kim@thomsonreuters.com; 822 3704 5655; Reuters Messaging: cynthia.kim.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))