Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Monday as oil prices closed lower for a sixth day, improving prospects for consumer and business spending.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 48.03 points, or 0.41 percent, to 11,782.35, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 9.00 points, or 0.69 percent, to 1,305.32. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> jumped 25.85 points, or 1.07 percent, to 2,439.95.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell for the sixth day in row on Monday as concerns about slowing global demand and a stronger dollar combined to knock down crude prices, despite the conflict between Russia and Georgia.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, September crude settled down 75 cents, or 0.65 percent, at $114.45 a barrel, trading from $112.72, its lowest since May 2, to $116.90.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - Up 16 cents per bushel to down 6, with August up 16 at $12.15 per bushel.Short-covering noted ahead of the release early on Tuesday of USDA's August crop production reports.

Traders expect USDA late on Monday to show a 1 to 2 percentage point improvement in corn and soy conditions.

Average analyst estimate for 2008 U.S. soy production seen at 3.001 billion bushels, basically unchanged from USDA's July forecast for 3.0 billion. U.S. soy 2008/09 ending stocks seen at 141 million bushels vs USDA July forecast of 140 million.

SOYOIL - Up 0.02 to down 0.05 cent per lb, with August up 0.02 at 50.41 cents per lb.
Gains in soy supportive, but decline in crude oil adding pressure.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures fell as much as 4.3 percent to a new 10-month low on Monday, as faltering energy and vegetable oil markets encouraged a sell-off, despite good export data from cargo surveyors.

The benchmark October contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange fell as much as 120 ringgit to 2,659 ringgit a tonne ($805), a level not seen since Oct. 11, 2007. The contract then settled down 108 ringgit at 2,671 ringgit.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-Asian stocks rose as oil prices briefly dipped below $115 a barrel and on a growing view that the U.S. dollar's decline is nearing an end.

Vietnam stocks <.VNI> gained 2.4 percent, while the Philippine index <.PSI> added 2.8 percent, but the Jakarta index<.JKSE> declined 2.8 percent.Singapore stocks <.FSTI> and Malaysia <.KLSE> both edged 0.6 percent higher.