Seoul stocks seen down after holiday, portals may dip

SEOUL, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Seoul stocks are expected to fall
on Monday, catching up with global markets' slide during the
Lunar New Year holiday, as worries over the credit market
crisis and the slowing U.S. economy dampen buying interest.

"It will of course fall," said Choi Chang-ho, an analyst at
Goodmorning Shinhan Securities. "And the losses will be across
the board because this is about a systematic risk hitting all
sectors in the market."

Internet companies, such as portals NHN Corp (035420.KQ: Quote, Profile, Research)
and Daum Communications (035720.KQ: Quote, Profile, Research) Corp, may fall after news
that Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) is set to reject Microsoft Corp's
(MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) unsolicited bid worth $42 billion as too low.
[ID:nN09548243]

Last week, the Dow Jones Industrials marked the worst week
in nearly five years as suspicions spread that banks have more
asset troubles to clean up.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index ended its
last session up 0.38 percent at 1,696.57 points, its highest
finish since Jan. 18.

The market was closed for Wednesday-Friday for the Lunar
New Year holiday.
------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2233 GMT --------------

INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG
S&P 500 .SPX 1331.29 -0.42% -5.620
USD/JPY <JPY=> 107.55 0.23% 0.250
10-YR US TSY YLD <US10YT=RR> 3.6503 -- 0.000
SPOT GOLD <XAU=> 923.5 0.00% 0.000
US CRUDE CLc1 91.71 4.09% 3.600
DOW JONES .DJI 12182.13 -0.53% -64.87
-------------------------------------------------------------
MARKETS SUMMARY
*S&P, Dow decline on credit worry; Nasdaq up [ID:N08278115]
*Oil posts biggest gain in two months [ID:nSP256224]
*Dollar set for biggest weekly rise since June 2006
[ID:nN08516286]
*Treasuries prices rise on credit market jitters
[ID:nN08512940]

STOCKS TO WATCH

- SK Telecom

South Korea's biggest mobile carrier may receive a green
light to go ahead with its $1.2 billion stake purchase in
broadband provider hanarotelecom inc (033630.KQ: Quote, Profile, Research).

Anti-trust regulator Fair Trade Commission said it would
hold a general meeting for ruling decisions on Friday. Local
media expected the ruling could include certain conditions such
as a ceiling on market shares.

- KEPCO

Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) (015760.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) has expressed
interest in acquiring control of Russian electricity generator
TGK-14 (TGKN.MM: Quote, Profile, Research), a source closed to the Russian firm told
Reuters on Thursday. [ID:nL07917243]
(Reporting by Rhee So-eui; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)