Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Dec 19 (Reuters) - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose on Friday after the U.S. government said it would throw a $17.4 billion lifeline to automakers grappling with falling consumer demand.
But the Dow ended lower, pulled down by another fall in energy shares, including Chevron and Exxon Mobil as oil sank for the sixth day in a row on fears the anemic economy will swamp demand.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Dec 19 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended more than 6 percent lower on Friday in volatile trading as the expiring front-month January contract was pressured by the weak economy that has slowed demand and brimming storage.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, expiring January crude fell $2.35, or 6.49 percent, to settle at $33.87 a barrel, the lowest settlement for front-month crude since Feb. 10, 2004 when it ended at the same level.

Friday's trading range was from $32.40 -- the lowest since $32.25 struck Feb. 9, 2004 -- to $37.59. February crude rose 69 cents, or 1.66 percent, to
settle at $42.36 a barrel, trading from $40.90 to $43.25.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - January down 1-1/4 cents at $8.68-1/4 a bushel, March down 2 cents to $8.72-1/2 a bushel. Crude oil drop, firm dollar negative for soybean prices.

CBOT-SOYOIL - January down 0.10 cent to 30.60 cents a pound, March off 0.13 cent to 30.91 cents a pound. Weakness in soybeans and dollar strength weighing on soyoil
futures.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm futures dropped for second day to its weakest level in two weeks, after crude oil touched fresh 4-1/2 year low as demand gloom offset OPEC's record supply cut.

The benchmark March palm oil contract on the Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives Exchange closed down 9 ringgit, or 0.58 percent, at 1,536 ringgit ($443) per tonne.

Other traded contracts were mostly lower, falling between 2 ringgit and 60 ringgit. Overall volume stood at 9,562 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Major Southeast Asian stocks drifted lower on Friday as the impact of interest rate cuts faded and falling oil prices dragged down plantation and energy shares such as Malaysia's IOI Corp and Thai energy firm PTT.

Among key Southeast Asian indices, Singapore <.FTSTI> eased 0.19 percent, Malaysia <.KLSE> shed 0.47 percent, Thailand <.SETI> fell 1.04 percent and Indonesia <.JKSE> edged 0.26 percent lower.