Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares reversed early gains to trade lower on Tuesday, as volatility in heavyweight semiconductor stocks weighed on the broader market, with investors turning cautious about the durability of the AI-driven chip rally.
** The benchmark KOSPI KRX:KOSPI was down 35.40 points, or 0.38%, at 8,362.96, as of 0217 GMT. Earlier in the session, the index climbed up to 1.4%, before shedding gains to drop as much as 2.1%.
** The KOSPI has fallen 0.2% this month, though it remains up 67% for the quarter and 101% year-to-date.
** Shares of chipmaker Samsung Electronics KRX:005930 were up 1.55%, easing from a 3% climb earlier in the day. Peer SK Hynix KRX:000660 erased early gains to fall 1.03%.
** On Monday, South Korea unveiled a sweeping semiconductor and artificial intelligence strategy, with President Lee Jae Myung announcing more than $576 billion in chip investment s to bolster global competitiveness and rebalance growth.
** "It is necessary to brace for volatility in semiconductor stocks capping the benchmark's upside as it is the last trading day of the quarter and the first half," said Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.
** Battery maker LG Energy Solution KRX:373220 slid 8.74%, while Hyundai Motor KRX:005380 and sister automaker Kia Corp KRX:000270 were down 0.60% and 1.78%, respectively.
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings KRX:005490 shed 4.80%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics KRX:207940 fell 4.56%.
** Of the total 916 traded issues, 252 shares advanced, while 626 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 2.1 trillion won ($1.36 billion).
** The won was quoted at 1,549.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform FX_IDC:USDKRW, 0.41% lower than its previous close at 1,543.0.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield (KR3YT=RR) fell 1.6 basis points to 3.723%, while the benchmark 10-year yield TVC:KR10 fell 2.4 basis points to 4.100%.
($1 = 1,548.5000 won)