Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Better-than-expected corporate results lifted U.S. stocks on Tuesday, but oil prices plunged 9 percent as news of a fall in U.S. consumer confidence to a record low and tumbling home prices stirred concerns about demand.

Wall Street rallied for a third session in a row on hopes that despite the drumbeat of negative news, government efforts to stabilize the flagging U.S. economy will start to work.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 58.70 points, or 0.72 percent, at 8,174.73. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 9.14 points, or 1.09 percent, at 845.71. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 15.44 points, or 1.04 percent, at 1,504.90.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Jan 27 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures remained sharply lower in post-settlement trading on Tuesday after data from the industry group American Petroleum Institute showed a small increase in domestic crude and gasoline supplies.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, March crude at 5:15 p.m. EST (2215 GMT), last traded down $3.75, or 8.2 percent, at $41.98 a barrel. Earlier, it settled down $4.15, or 9.08 percent, at $41.58, trading from $41.41 to $47.49. The day's percentage loss was the steepest since prices dropped 12.25 percent on Jan. 7.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March down 33 cents to $9.76 a bushel. Forecast for rain in drought-stricken Argentina, lower crude oil and firm dollar weigh on soybeans.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March down 1.00 cent to 32.77 cents a pound. Weak crude oil and lower soybeans weigh on soyoil.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures fell 2.1 percent on Friday as traders took profit from a recent rally ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday, traders said.

The benchmark April contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange closed 40 ringgit lower, or 2.1 percent, at 1,830 ringgit a tonne ($505).

Other traded contracts fell between 35 ringgit and 45 ringgit. Overall volume was at 10,048 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Jan 27 (Reuters)-Thai shares closed at their highest in two weeks on Tuesday, lifted by gains in oil and shipping stocks, while Indonesian shares rallied to a one-week high on buying into big caps such as Bumi Resources.

Overall, regional markets tracked gains in the United States, although many major bourses remained closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Singapore <.FTSTI> and Malaysia <.KLSE> will resume trading on Wednesday, and Vietnam <.VNI> on Friday.