Round-up of South Korean financial markets: ** South Korean shares fell after an eight-day rally on Friday, ahead of U.S. inflation data, but headed for their best week in two months. Both the won and the benchmark bond yield fell. ** By 0135 GMT, the KOSPI (.KS11) fell 19.45 points, or 0.64%, to 3,010.12, set to snap a seven-day rally. ** The index was set to gain 1.37% on a weekly basis, the sharpest in eight weeks. It added 1.09% rise a week earlier. ** Tech shares led Friday"s decline, with chip giants Samsung Electronics <005930.KS> and SK Hynix (000660.KS) falling 1.28% and 2.43%, respectively. Battery maker LG Chem (051910.KS) also slumped 2.01%. ** Closely-watched U.S. inflation figures are due later in the day, with a Reuters poll of economists expecting a 6.8% rise for November, overtaking October"s 6.2% increase, the fastest gain in 31 years. The Federal Reserve is expected to offer clues on the timing of rate hikes at its meeting next week. read more ** Meanwhile, South Korea reported 7,022 new coronavirus cases for Thursday, with a total of 63 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant. ** On the main KOSPI board, foreigners were net sellers of 118.6 billion won ($100.78 million) worth of shares. ** The won was quoted at 1,177.2 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform , 0.23% lower than its previous close. ** It is set to rise 0.27% for the week, following a 1.12% gain a week earlier. ** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,176.6, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract was quoted at 1,176.4. ** In money and debt markets, December futures on three-year treasury bonds rose 0.04 point to 109.23. ** The benchmark 10-year yield fell by 1.8 basis points to 2.170%. ($1 = 1,176.8000 won) Reporting by Joori Roh; Editing by Devika Syamnath Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.