Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares fell sharply on Friday and posted a monthly loss of 16 percent, dragged down by losses in chipmakers on doubts over the global AI investment boom.
** The benchmark KOSPI closed down 206.92 points, or 3.48 percent, at 5,730.74, after falling as much as 5.7 percent earlier and triggering a sidecar trading curb.
** The KOSPI fell 16.2 percent this month after two consecutive months of gains. In July, it fell 22.2 percent.
** US stocks slid on Thursday, with investors reassessing big tech's massive AI spending as they digested high-profile earnings and crucial inflation data a day after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady.N
** "The market was weighed by worries around the AI sector, such as delays in data centre constructions, this moth. There would be a short-term rebound after recent sharp losses, but the market is likely to be remain range-bound for the time being amid high uncertainty," said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.
** Chipmaker Samsung Electronics fell 3.02 percent, while peer SK Hynix lost 7.08 percent.
** Among other index heavyweights, battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 0.98 percent, while Hyundai Motor and sister automaker Kia Corp were down 3.59 percent and 11.73 percent, respectively.
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings shed 0.73 percent, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics rose 8.86 percent.
** Of the total 912 traded issues, 234 shares advanced, while 656 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 1.6 trillion won (US$1.19 billion).
** The won was quoted at 1,334.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform 0.39 percent higher than its previous close at 1,339.5.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 4.9 basis points to 3.719 percent, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell by 7.5 basis points to 4.025 percent.
Reuters
