South Korean stocks rise ahead of US jobs data

** The benchmark KOSPI was up 19.06 points, or 0.67%, at 2,844.00 by 00:58 GMT. For the week, the index is up 1.8%, and is set to log a fifth consecutive week of gain.

** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker rose 1.42% and peer SK Hynix gained 0.22%, while battery maker slid 0.42%.

** Samsung Electronics estimated a more than 15-fold rise in its second-quarter operating profit on Friday, as rebounding semiconductor prices driven by the artificial intelligence boom lifted earnings from a low base a year ago.

** was flat and sister automaker lost 0.08%, while search engine Naver and instant messenger Kakao were up 1.44% and 0.87%, respectively.

** Of the total 924 traded issues, 484 shares advanced, while 357 declined.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 411.6 billion won ($298.9 million) on the main board on Friday.

** The won was quoted at 1,378.6 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.17% higher than its previous close at 1,381.0.

** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,378.3 per dollar, up 0.1% on the day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,375.6.

** The KOSPI has risen 7.11% so far this year, and gained 3.7% in the previous 30 trading sessions.

** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year bonds fell 0.05 point to 105.31.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 1 basis point to 3.138%, while the benchmark 10-year yield fell 0.2 basis point to 3.243%. ($1 = 1,377.2500 won) (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Sonia Cheema)