*
KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers
*
Korean won weakens against dollar
*
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
SEOUL, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean
financial markets:
** South Korean shares fell on Friday, after three straight
sessions of gains, as investors took a cautious stance ahead of
key U.S. employment data. The Korean won weakened, while the
benchmark bond yield fell.
** The benchmark KOSPI fell 18.57 points, or 0.75%,
to 2,461.27 as of 0124 GMT. Gains in the past few sessions had
pushed the index to a more than two-week high.
** For the week so far, the benchmark index is still up 1%,
on track for the first weekly gain in three.
** "Investors were seen booking profits from recent gains,
as weak U.S. manufacturing data and caution ahead of jobs data
weighed," said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Mirae Asset
Securities.
** U.S. manufacturing activity shrank in November for the
first time in 2-1/2 years as higher borrowing costs weighed on
demand for goods, data showed overnight.
** Meanwhile, South Korea's consumer prices rose 5.0% in
November from a year earlier, data showed on Friday, marking the
slowest pace since April and slightly missing market
expectations.
** Among heavyweights, technology giant Samsung Electronics
fell 1.60% and peer SK Hynix lost 1.89%,
while battery maker LG Energy Solution was flat.
** Of the total traded issues of 933, the number of
advancing shares was 340.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 168.6 billion
won ($129.75 million) on the main board.
** The won was quoted at 1,302.4 per dollar on the onshore
settlement platform, 0.21% lower than its previous
close.
** For the week, the currency has still strengthened more
than 1.5%, in its likely second straight gaining week.
** In money and debt markets, December futures on three-year
treasury bonds rose 0.05 point to 103.87.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield
fell by 2.7 basis points to 3.630%, while the benchmark 10-year
yield fell by 5.7 basis points to 3.609%.
($1 = 1,299.4300 won)
(Reporting by Jihoon Lee)