Seoul stocks end up 0.56 pct on foreign, retail buying

(ATTN: ADDS bond yields at bottom)
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks closed 0.56 percent higher Monday
as strong foreign and retail buying buoyed the market, analysts said. The local
currency fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 7.39 points to
1,336.39, reversing earlier falls. Volume was moderate at 556.19 million shares
worth 5.82 trillion won (US$4.36 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 492 to
337.
"Continued foreign buying coupled with solid retail purchases helped the key
index finish in positive territory after it underwent volatile trading," said
Kwak Jung-bo, an analyst at Hana Daetoo Securities.
Overseas investors increased holdings of local shares for a third day.
Financial shares led the overall market gain as investors picked them up on
bargain hunting. KB Financial Group, which controls top lender Kookmin Bank,
surged 4.05 percent to 38,500 won and Woori Finance Holding, the parent for Woori
Bank, spiked 6.59 percent to end at 9,710 won.
NHN, the operator of South Korea's largest internet portal, Naver, jumped 7.47
percent to 165,500 won, curbing three days of heavy falls, on upbeat
second-quarter earnings projections.
Market leader Samsung Electronics, however, finished 0.84 percent down at 592,000
won with LG Electronics shedding 0.47 percent to 105,000 won as investors locked
in profits from a recent IT rally.
The local currency finished at 1,335 won to the dollar, down 3 won from Friday's
close, as importers bought the greenback to settle bills, dealers said.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed higher. The return on
three-year Treasuries fell 0.02 percentage point to 3.70 percent and the
benchmark yield on five-year government bonds lost 0.06 percentage point to 4.32
percent.
pbr@yna.co.kr
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