news/AAPL/2023.01.10/South Korean shares flat as investors await U.S. inflation data.txt

*KOSPI cuts early gains*Korean won turns down against dollar*South Korea benchmark bond yield fallsSEOUL, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:** South Korean shares erased early gains to trade flat on
Wednesday, with investors refraining from taking positions
before U.S. inflation data due this week. The Korean won
weakened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.** The benchmark KOSPI was marginally up by 0.23
points, or 0.01%, to 2,351.54 as of 0143 GMT, after rising 0.78%
earlier.** The market extended the broadly subdued sentiment from
Tuesday, with the benchmark ended up 0.05%, as investors awaited
U.S. inflation data which is scheduled for release on Thursday.** "The index is expected to be kept in a narrow range for
the time being, with the focus set on U.S. inflation," said Kim
Seok-hwan, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.** Meanwhile, a Reuters poll showed the Bank of Korea will
raise interest rates by another quarter percentage point on
Friday, likely its last move in the current tightening cycle.** Technology giant Samsung Electronics rose
0.33%, peer SK Hynix gained 0.69%, but battery maker
LG Energy Solution declined 0.32%.** Online platform services majors Naver and
Kakao rose 1.81% and 1.98%, respectively, tracking
U.S. peers' gains.** LG Display fell 2.23%, after a report that
its customer Apple was planning to start using its own
custom displays for its products from 2024 onwards.** Of the total 933 issues traded, 550 shares advanced.** Foreigners were marginally net buyers, purchasing shares
worth 21.2 billion won ($16.99 million).** The won was quoted 0.32% lower at 1,248.7 per dollar on
the onshore settlement platform, reversing its early
gain of 0.41%.** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.13 point to 104.33.** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 3.9 basis points to 3.517%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield fell by 0.8 basis point to 3.454%.
($1 = 1,248.1200 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Rashmi Aich)