Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares fell more than 5 percent on Friday and were set to end the month lower, as chipmakers tracked overnight losses in US tech stocks on doubts over the global AI investment boom.
** The benchmark KOSPI was down 314.58 points, or 5.3 percent, at 5,623.08 as of 0217 GMT. During the session, it triggered a sidecar trading curb, halting algorithmic trading for five minutes.
** The KOSPI has fallen 18 percent so far this month, after two consecutive months of gains.
** US stocks slid on Thursday, with investors reassessing big tech's massive AI spending spree as they digested high-profile earnings and crucial inflation data a day after the Federal Reserve held US interest rates steady.N
** Chipmaker Samsung Electronics fell 5.93 percent, while peer SK Hynix lost 8.58 percent.
** Among other index heavyweights, battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 0.35 percent, while Hyundai Motor and sister automaker Kia Corp were down 3.59 percent and 3.51 percent, respectively.
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings shed 1.45 percent, while drugmaker Samsung Biologics rose 4.10 percent.
** Of the total 908 traded issues, 138 shares advanced, while 749 declined.
** Foreign investors were net sellers of shares worth 844.9 billion won (US$630.94 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,337.8 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform 0.13 percent higher than its previous close at 1,339.5.
** In money and debt markets, December futures on three-year treasury bonds crawled 0.09 of a point higher to 103.42.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 3.4 basis points to 3.734 percent, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell by 7 basis points to 4.030 percent.
Reuters
