SEOUL: Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares rose on Tuesday ahead of Nvidia's earnings report, signalling cautious optimism over the artificial intelligence industry's profitability. The won weakened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.
** The benchmark KOSPI closed up 45.78 points, or 0.68%, at 6,742.74.
** AI chip leader Nvidia's quarterly results, due on Wednesday, are expected to be a key catalyst for markets.
** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics was flat, while peer SK Hynix gained 0.42%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution slid 3.45%.
** South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix's union members narrowly rejected a tentative wage agreement on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the matter.
** Hyundai Motor's South Korean union said on Tuesday it has reached a tentative agreement with management, averting further production losses after staging its first full strike in a decade on Friday, following a series of partial stoppages.
** Hyundai Motor and sister automaker Kia Corp were up 1.69% and up 2.59%, respectively.
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings added 1.37%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics rose 0.76%.
** Of the total 906 traded issues, 647 shares advanced, while 226 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 3,814.5 billion won.
** The won was quoted at 1,386.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.21% lower than its previous close at 1,383.2.
** The KOSPI has risen 60.00% so far this year, while the won has strengthened 3.9% against the dollar.
** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds gained 0.05 point to 103.27.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 0.2 basis points to 3.834%, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell by 1.6 basis points to 4.322%. - Reuters
