SEOUL: Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares rose more than 2% on Thursday to top the 9,000 milestone for the first time, as chipmakers hit record highs on AI optimism.
** The benchmark KOSPI ended up 199.60 points, or 2.25%, at 9,063.84, its highest close on record.
** Samsung Electronics rose 4.62% and SK Hynix gained 6.51%. Both chipmakers, which account for more than 50% of the benchmark index by market value, notched record closes.
** SK Hynix said it had shipped samples of its latest high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to major customers, as the South Korean chipmaker seeks to strengthen its position in the fast-growing AI semiconductor market.
** Apple plans to raise prices on its products to offset increasing memory and storage chip costs, CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.
** South Korea's financial market regulator issued an investor warning on single-stock leveraged investment products recently introduced amid a world-beating, chipmaker-led rally in the domestic market.
** Most other index heavyweights fell. Battery maker LG Energy Solution slid 3.85%. Hyundai Motor and sister automaker Kia Corp were down 2.75% and down 4.51%, respectively.
** Of the total 917 traded issues, 109 shares advanced, while 791 declined.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 1.3 trillion won ($851.41 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,527.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.76% lower than its previous close at 1,515.5.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 4.0 basis points to 3.745%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 2.3 basis points to 4.100%. - Reuters
