S. Korea Stocks: Airlines, DC Chemical, Hyundai E&C, SK Telecom

By Kyung Bok Cho

July 17 (Bloomberg) -- South Korea's Kospi index rose 31.14, or 2.1 percent, to 1,538.54 as of 9:46 a.m. in Seoul, the first gain in four days.

The following are among the most-active stocks in South Korean markets.

Fuel-dependent companies: Korean Air Lines Co. (003490 KS), the nation's biggest carrier, advanced 2,600 won, or 6.3 percent, to 44,100. Asiana Airlines Inc. (020560 KS), the second-largest, gained 250 won, or 5.3 percent, to 4,950.

Crude oil declined 3 percent to $134.60 a barrel yesterday in New York, capping the biggest two-day fall since January 2007. It was recently at $134.95 in after-hours trading.

STX Pan Ocean Co. (028670 KS), South Korea's biggest bulk- commodity shipping line, climbed 90 won, or 4.4 percent, to 2,115.

DC Chemical Co. (010060 KS), a maker of petrochemicals and solar-power materials, rose 10,000 won, or 3.1 percent, to 333,000. The company said it received a 613.7 billion won ($609 million) polysilicon order from Taiwan-based Sino-American Silicon Products Inc.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. (000720 KS), South Korea's biggest builder by market value, added 2,000 won, or 3.4 percent, to 60,100. The company is among bidders to build a $10 billion oil refinery in Qatar next year, people involved in the tender said. The contract will be awarded next May.

SK Telecom Co. (017670 KS), which declined yesterday to comment on reports by CNBC and the Wall Street Journal that it may buy a stake in Sprint Nextel Corp. of the U.S., dropped 2,000 won, or 1.1 percent, to 179,500. Merrill Lynch & Co. cut its price estimate by 7.7 percent to 180,000 won, in a report. The company's rising ``overseas investment risks'' will damp share performance, the brokerage said.

To contact the reporter for this story: Kyung Bok Cho in Seoul at kcho7@bloomberg.net