* KOSPI up slightly, foreigners net buyers

* Korean won hits 2-week high against USD

* South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

* For the midday report, please click

SEOUL, May 18 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares rose on Wednesday, as solid U.S. retail sales and manufacturing data eased fears about an economic slowdown, although concerns over monetary policy tightening lingered. The Korean won hit a two-week high, while the benchmark bond yield rose.

** The benchmark KOSPI ended up 5.54 points, or 0.21%, at 2,625.98, marking the highest close since May 6.

** U.S. retail sales and manufacturing output marked strong gains for last month, easing global economic slowdown fears.

** Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday pledged that the U.S. central bank would ratchet interest rates as high as needed to kill a surge in inflation.

** Investor focus is on the issue of economic recession, while the Fed chair's remarks reaffirmed what the market had been expecting, said Bookook Securities analyst Lee Won.

** Among heavyweights, technology giant Samsung Electronics rose 0.74% and peer SK Hynix gained 0.89%, while battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 0.37%.

** Foreigners were net buyers of 290.5 billion won ($229.34 million) worth of shares on the main board.

** The won was last quoted at 1,266.6 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.66% higher than its previous close at 1,275.0.

** The currency extended its gaining streak to a fourth session and marked the highest close in two weeks.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,266.7 per dollar, unchanged from the previous day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,266.2.

** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds fell 0.09 point to 105.27 in late afternoon trade.

** The most liquid 3-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 2.7 basis points to 3.060%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 2.1 basis points to 3.310%. ($1 = 1,266.6700 won) (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)