Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Feb 12 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks staged a late rally to close mostly higher on Thursday after Reuters reported the Obama administration was working on a program to subsidize mortgage payments for troubled homeowners.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended higher while the Dow industrials retraced losses to close slightly lower as investors starved for good news bet the government had taken a big step toward stabilizing the housing market.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> shed 6.77 points, or 0.09 percent, to end at 7,932.76. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 1.45 points, or 0.17 percent, to 835.19. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 11.21 points, or 0.73 percent, to 1,541.71.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Feb 12 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell for the fifth straight session on Thursday, sliding to the lowest settlement in nearly two months as oil demand worries persisted a day after government data showed U.S. crude
supplies rose sharply last week.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, March crude settled down $1.96, or 5.45 percent, at $33.98 a barrel, the lowest settlement since Dec. 19's $33.87. It traded from $33.55 -- a new contract low and lowest since Jan. 20's $32.70 -- to $36.25.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March down 9-1/2 cents at $9.68-1/2 a bushel.

Improved crop weather this week in Argentina, firm dollar, lower crude oil and falling stock market adds pressure with market underpinned by big U.S. soy exports.

USDA baseline report pegged 2009 soy acres 74.0 million, down from 75.7 million last year. Soy production for 2009 forecast 3.110 billion bushels, up from 2.959 billion.

Drier and hotter weather expected to increase stress on Argentine crops over the next 5-7 days especially in areas that did not receive rainfall this week.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March down 0.35 cent at 32.83 cents a pound. Falling crude oil weighs on soyoil prices.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm futures were mostly little changed on Thursday as fears of weakening demand in coming weeks pared earlier gains from falling domestic inventories.

Benchmark April contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange settled up 3 Malaysian ringgit to 1,928 Malaysian ringgit ($534.2) after going as high as 1,945 ringgit.

Other traded contracts mostly fell marginally, although the Sept. contract edged higher <0#KPO:>. Overall volume stood at 10,276 lots of 25 tonnes.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets fell on Thursday as investors offloaded financials such as Singapore's United Overseas Bank and Malaysia's Bumiputra as the latest U.S. moves to tackle the financial crisis left investors cold.

Singapore led the regional losses, with the Straits Times Index <.FTSTI> closing down 2.15 percent, erasing recent gains.

Malaysian shares <.KLSE> also fell for a second day, down 0.3 percent, with Sime Darby Bhd losing 1.7 percent.