Australia Stocks: David Jones, Equinox Minerals, Minara, Santos

By Shani Raja

Aug. 14 (Bloomberg) -- The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 42.10 points, or 0.9 percent, to 4,993.70 at 10:15 a.m. in Sydney, the most in more than a week. The broader All Ordinaries Index gained 43.90, or 0.9 percent, to 5,039.80, while the futures index expiring in September advanced 0.6 percent to 4,942.

Mining shares: BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP AU), the world's largest mining company, advanced A$1.43, or 3.9 percent to A$38.19, the highest since Aug. 4. Rio Tinto Group (RIO AU), the world's third-largest mining company, gained A$4.65, or 4.2 percent, to A$116.25.

Minara Resources Ltd. (MRE AU), Australia's second-largest nickel producer, rose 9 cents, or 7.9 percent, to A$1.29, the fourth-biggest gainer on the index. Equinox Minerals Ltd. (EQN AU), developer of Africa's largest copper mine, rallied 38 cents, or 12 percent, to A$3.54, the biggest gainer.

A measure of six metals traded on the London Metal Exchange rose 3.2 percent. Zinc advanced 2.2 percent, copper 3.9 percent and nickel 7.7 percent.

Oil companies: Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL AU), Australia's second-largest oil and gas producer, added A$1.44, or 2.8 percent, to A$53.55, the most since July 31. Santos Ltd. (STO AU) added 42 cents, or 2.5 percent, to A$17.42.

Crude oil futures rose more than $2 a barrel after a U.S. Energy Department report showed a bigger-than forecast decline in inventories of gasoline as refiners shut units and imports fell. Crude oil for September delivery rose $2.99, or 2.6 percent, to settle at $116 a barrel at 2:48 p.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the biggest one-day gain since July 30.

ASX Ltd. (ASX AU), operator of Australia's largest stock exchange, advanced 63 cents, or 1.8 percent, to A$35.43, partly reversing yesterday's 4.1 percent loss. ASX posted a 6.1 percent gain in second-half profit on increased trading volume and new share listings.

David Jones Ltd. (DJS AU), Australia's second-largest department store chain, gained 16 cents, or 4.4 percent, to A$3.81, the highest since March 7. The company said second-half earnings rose more than forecast as it cut inventory holdings to lower costs.

Maryborough Sugar Factory Ltd. (MSF AU) fell 5 cents, or 2.5 percent, to A$1.95, the lowest since July 8. The Australian producer and refiner of raw sugar began merger talks with Tully Sugar Ltd. as it seeks to expand into far north Queensland state.

To contact the reporter on this story: Shani Raja in Sydney at sraja4@bloomberg.net.