Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, July 18 (Reuters) - Favorable results from No. 1 U.S. bank Citigroup and technology leader IBM drove the Dow higher on Friday, but the Nasdaq fell on disappointing results from tech icons Google and Microsoft.The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> closed up 49.91 points, or 0.44 percent, at 11,496.57. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 0.34 points, or 0.03 percent, at 1,260.66. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> fell 29.52 points, or 1.28 percent, at 2,282.78.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, July 18 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended lower for the fourth consecutive session on Friday, as demand worries continued, brushing aside storm fears and anxiety over a weekend meeting between world powers and Iran.August crude settled down 41 cents, or 0.32 percent, at $128.88 a barrel.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - August down 51 cents at $14.70 per bushel;new-crop November down 50 at $14.48.Pressured by news Argentine government repealed a tax on soy exports.

SOYOIL - August down 1.33 cents at 62.09 cents per lb.Pressed by the weakness in soybeans.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones)--Crude palm oil futures on Malaysia's derivatives exchange ended 1.3% lower Friday, plunging to a fresh 10-week low as investors resorted to selling, mainly driven by weak overnight crude oil and speculation over a likely rise in soybean oil supply from Argentina.The benchmark October contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives ended MYR43 lower at MYR3,392/ton after reaching an intraday low of MYR3,358/ton.

Regional equities-Asian markets fell on Friday and closed lower on the week on persistent worries about the global credit crisis and slowing economic growth, with political uncertainty adding to pressure on Thai and Malaysian stocks.

For the week, Indonesia <.JKSE> dropped 6 percent, Malaysia <.KLSE> gave up 3.9 percent, Singapore <.FTSTI> fell 2.5 percent, and the Philippine index <.PSI> shed 2 percent.