Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares erased early gains to close lower on Friday, but still ended the week on a positive note as investors weighed prospects of trade talks with the United States and further market reforms under the new administration.
** The benchmark KOSPI 
KOSPI closed down 7.46 points, or 0.23%, at 3,175.77. Earlier in the session, the index rose 1.84% to hit its highest intraday level since August 2021.
** The KOSPI gained nearly 4% this week, rebounding after a 0.05% dip last week – the index’s first weekly loss in six weeks.
** “The KOSPI met resistance after touching the 3,200 level,” said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities.
** South Korea’s exports in the first 10 days of this month rose 9.5% from a year earlier, early data showed.
** Earlier in the week, South Korea’s financial regulators and stock bourse operator announced that measures to curb unfair trading practices, including illegal short-selling, after President Lee Jae Myung ordered a “one-strike out” policy for violators.
** South Korea’s trade minister Yeo Han-koo said on Thursday that more time is needed for tariff talks with the United States, even as both sides accelerate negotiations ahead of the newly imposed August deadline.
** Among index heavyweights, South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics 
005930 rose 2.62%, while peer SK Hynix 
000660 lost 0.84%. Shares of battery maker LG Energy Solution 
373220 climbed 1.10%.
** Hyundai Motor 
005380 was unchanged, while sister automaker Kia Corp 
000270 rose 0.7%. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 
005490 gained 2.07%, whereas drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940 declined 2.13%.
** Of the total 935 traded issues, 476 shares advanced, while 411 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 126.4 billion won ($91.85 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,375.4 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform 
USDKRW, 0.11% lower than its previous close at 1,373.9.
** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds (KTBc1) lost 0.04 point to 107.26.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield (KR3YT=RR) was flat at 2.428%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10 was unchanged at 3.146%.
($1 = 1,376.1300 won)