Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Aug 20 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday as bank and energy shares rebounded even as investors dumped Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on fears of an imminent government bailout of the housing finance companies.The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 68.88 points, or 0.61 percent, at 11,417.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 7.85 points, or 0.62 percent, at 1,274.54. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 4.72 points, or 0.20 percent, at 2,389.08.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Aug 20 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended higher on Wednesday on geopolitical worries following news of Russia's potential response to a the U.S.-Poland missile shield deal and news of a big drawdown in gasoline stocks.On the New York Mercantile Exchange, September crude expired and settled up 45 cents, or 0.39 percent, at $114.98 a barrel, after trading from $112.61 to $117.03.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - September up 26-3/4 cents at $12.93-3/4 per bushel, new-crop November up 24 at $13.00.Rallying on drier-than-desired crop weather in the Midwest
as the U.S. soybean crop continues its key pod-setting growth phase. Higher Asian vegoil markets and Argentine farm protests lend additional support.

SOYOIL - September up 0.69 at 53.07 cents per lb.Support from gains in soy.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures jumped 6.5 percent on Wednesday to a one-week high but the outlook remained uncertain due to an upswing in production and talk of more defaults.The benchmark November contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange rose as much as 158 ringgit to 2,594 ringgit ($779) per tonne, a level unseen since Aug. 14. The contract then settled up 2,591 ringgit.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-SINGAPORE, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian markets edged higher on Wednesday, rebounding from year-lows as gains in Chinese shares outweighed credit fears, but Thailand was weighed down by banks.

Chinese <.SSEC> shares surged on hopes Beijing would introduce a stimulus package, dragging Hong Kong <.HSI> higher and boosting equities around the region.

The Singapore index <.FTSTI> rose 0.9 percent, while Jakarta <.JKSE> added 1.3 percent, boosted by resource stocks. Malaysia<.KLSE> edged 0.4 percent up but Thai stocks <.SETI> dipped 0.2 percent.