Friday, November 28, 2008

Trader's Highlight

NYMEX-TOKYO, Nov 27 - U.S. crude futures were steady above $54 a barrel on Thursday, keeping more than a $3 gain from the previous day, as a rise on Wall Street helped offset government data showing an unexpectedly large rise in U.S. crude stocks.

NYMEX crude for January delivery was trading down 22 cents at $54.22 a barrel in Globex electronic trading by 0000 GMT, after settling up $3.67 on Wednesday.
The NYMEX trading floor is closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Globex electronic trading continues as usual.

FCPO- JAKARTA, Nov 27 - Malaysian palm futures closed higher for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, boosted by expectations that a Chinese move to slash interest rates will underpin demand, traders said.

The benchmark February palm oil contract on the Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives Exchange closed up 62 ringgit, or 3.88 percent, at 1,660 ringgit ($524) per tonne.

REGIONAL EQUITIES- BANGKOK, Nov 27 - Thai shares were hurt by growing
political unrest on Thursday, with the index losing 1.37 percent, ending two days of rises, as heavyweight energy firm PTT lost 2.1 percent and Bangkok Bank 2.2 percent.

In general, Southeast Asian stock markets were mixed, with the Philippines and Malaysia climbing nearly 2 percent after China slashed interest rates, prompting investors to snap up oversold blue chips.

Philippine stocks rose for a fourth straight session, rising 1.76 percent, while the Malaysian indexended up 1.59 percent at its highest close in more than a week.

Elsewhere, Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index was off 0.04 percent, ending a two-day rally.