*

KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers

*

Korean won strengthens against US dollar

*

South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

*

For the midday report, please click

SEOUL, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean

financial markets:

** South Korean shares closed higher on Wednesday as

investors waited for Nvidia ( NVDA ), the world's most valuable company,

to report its quarterly earnings later in the day for further

cues on global AI chip demand.

** The won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield

fell.

** The KOSPI closed up 10.34 points, or 0.42%, at

2,482.29.

** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics ( SSNLF )

fell 1.78% and peer SK Hynix ( HXSCF ) traded

flat. Battery maker LG Energy Solution gained 1.78%.

** Hyundai Motor ( HYMTF ) added 1.39% and sister

automaker Kia climbed 2.94%. Search engine Naver

and instant messenger Kakao were up

0.05% and down 2.07%, respectively.

** Of the total 940 traded issues, 437 shares advanced,

while 422 declined.

** Foreigners net sold shares worth 187.6 billion won ($135

million) on the main board.

** The won was quoted at 1,390.9 per U.S. dollar on the

onshore settlement platform, 0.15% higher than

Tuesday's close at 1,393.0.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,390.8

per dollar, up 0.1% on the day. In non-deliverable forward

trading, its one-month contract was quoted at

1,388.7.

** The KOSPI has shed 6.51% so far this year, losing 5.3% in

the last 30 trading sessions.

** Year-to-date, the won has lost 7.4% against the dollar.

** In money and debt markets, December futures on three-year

treasury bonds rose 0.07 point to 106.04.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield

fell by 1.9 basis points to 2.871%. The benchmark

10-year yield dropped by 2.0 basis points to 3.012%.

($1 = 1,390.7300 won)