* KOSPI index up nearly 1 pct, foreigners net buyers     
* Korean won strengthens versus U.S. dollar     
* South Korea benchmark bond yield down      
SEOUL, March 21 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:  

** South Korea's KOSPI stock index         
jumped on Thursday as rallying chip giants lifted broader market, 
while policymakers are relieved following the dovish statement of 
U.S. Federal Reserve. The Korean won strengthened while the benchmark 
bond yield fell.  

** As of 0213 GMT, the Seoul stock market's main index rose 19.79 points, or 0.91 percent, to 2,196.89.  ** South Korea's finance ministry and top market regulator said they will cut the tax rate for stock trading this year in an effort to support domestic equity markets and startup firms. 
  
** Shares of South Korea's chip giants surged as chip industry outlook improved following the conference call of U.S. chipmaker Micron Technology       . Samsung Electronics             rose nearly 5 percent while SK Hynix             gained more than 7 percent.  

** The top two KOSPI stocks are lifting the broader markets, while the 
influence of U.S. Federal Reserve's dovish stance is limited in local markets, 
said Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.
 
** In response to Fed's overnight decision, South Korea's central bank chief 
said the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to abandon projections for any 
interest rate hikes this year eased uncertainties for Korean policymakers.  

** The U.S. Federal Reserve brought its three-year drive to tighten 
monetary policy to an abrupt end, abandoning projections for any 
interest rate hikes this year amid signs of an economic slowdown, and 
saying it would halt the steady decline of its balance sheet in September.
 
** Foreigners were net buyers of 279.3 billion won worth of shares on the 
main board.  

** The won was quoted at 1,125.2 per dollar on the onshore 
settlement platform           , 
0.46 percent higher than its previous close at 1,130.4. 

** In offshore trading, the won   
was quoted flat at 1,124.6 per U.S. dollar, while in one-year non-deliverable 
forward trading its one-month contract              
 was quoted at 1,123.1 per dollar.  

** MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan                 
was up 0.56 percent, after U.S. stocks rallied on dovish Fed statement. 
Japanese stock markets are closed for public holiday.  

** The KOSPI has risen 7.72 percent so far this year, and fell 1.3 percent 
in the previous 30 trading sessions.  

** The current price-to-earnings ratio is 12.10, the dividend yield 
is 1.28 percent and the market capitalisation is 1,242.04 trillion won.  

** The trading volume during the session on the KOSPI index         
was 135.48 million shares and, of the total traded issues of 892, the 
number of advancing shares was 309.  

** The won has lost 0.8 percent 
against the U.S dollar this year.  

** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds         
rose 0.09 points to 109.34, while the 3-month Certificate 
of Deposit rate was quoted at 1.90 percent.