Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Jan 15 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Thursday amid market optimism the government will act to prevent the year-long recession from deepening, offsetting news that Bank of America was seeking more government aid that had fueled worries about the health of the financial sector.

In response to indications that the recession is deepening, Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled an $825 billion tax cut and spending bill. After the closing bell, the U.S. Senate rejected an attempt to block the
release of the remaining $350 billion from the financial bailout fund.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> added 12.35 points, or 0.15 percent, to 8,212.49. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 1.12 points, or 0.13 percent, to 843.74. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 22.20 points, or 1.49 percent,
at 1,511.84.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Jan 15 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures ended more than 5 percent lower on Thursday on a bleak OPEC global demand forecast, gloomy domestic economic mews and brimming domestic oil supplies. NYMEX February crude, which expires on Tuesday, sank to a new contract low, hitting the lowest level since prices hit the 2008 low of $32.40 on Dec. 19.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, February crude settled down $1.88, or 5.04 percent, at $35.40 a barrel, trading from $33.20 and $37.99.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March up 23 cents at $9.94-1/2 a bushel. Gained on Argentine crop worries as hot, dry weather forecast for next week. Strong Chinese demand for soybeans also supportive.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March up 0.35 cent at 34.40 cents per lb. Support from gains in soybeans. Drop in crude oil limited gains.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures tumbled 4.1 percent on Thursday as investors cut some positions on slowing shipments and weak global soyoil markets.

The benchmark March contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange settled down 78 ringgit at 1,806 Malaysian ringgit ($502.8) a tonne.

Other traded months fell between 45 and 83 ringgit <0#KPO:>. Overall trade stood at 10,935 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Stocks in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand fell over 3 percent on Thursday, with others in the region also under selling pressure amid bleak global economic data and a deepening banking crisis in the United States.

In Singapore, the main stock index <.FTSTI> posted the largest fall in the Southeast region, ending 3.4 percent lower at its lowest in over a month.

In Kuala Lumpur, shares <.KLSE> ended down 1.8 percent after earlier falling 2.6 percent to a near two-week low, with telecoms leading decliners.Goldman Sachs has downgraded Telekom Malaysia and DiGi to 'sell'.