[SEOUL] South Korean stocks ended at a four-month high on Wednesday as a weaker dollar boosted appetite for Seoul shares among foreign investors. The won gained 0.4 per cent against the dollar, while bond yields inched up.

The benchmark KOSPI index closed up 1.09 per cent at 2,229.76, with IT heavyweights including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix leading the gains.

Foreigners were net buyers of 430.9 billion won worth of shares on the main board, marking the biggest daily net purchase in almost four weeks.

The Kospi climbed 9.2 per cent so far this year.

The won was quoted at 1,123.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.42 per cent firmer than its previous close of 1,128.2.

In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year bonds dropped 0.01 point to 109.24.

The most-liquid three-year South Korean treasury bond yielded 1.802 per cent, a tad higher than 1.800 per cent in the previous session.

REUTERS