Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Wall Street slumped to a 12-year low on Monday as investors lost faith that the U.S. government will be able to stabilize the financial system.

Adding to the bleak picture, CNBC reported that insurer American International Group could be forced into bankruptcy if new rescue talks with the government fail to secure it more funding.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> tumbled 250.73 points, or 3.40 percent, to 7,114.94. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dropped 26.71 points, or 3.47 percent, to 743.34. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> skidded 53.51 points, or 3.71 percent, to 1,387.72.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Feb 23 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended nearly 4 percent lower, sliding with Wall Street on concerns about the economy amid uncertainty about government steps to save ailing banks.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange new front-month April crude settled down $1.59, or 3.97 percent, at $38.44 a barrel, trading from $37.87 to $41.49.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March up 10-1/4 at $8.72-3/4 a bushel.

Mild rebound after last week's slide to two-month low. Traders watching Dow for direction amid reports U.S. government may take a bigger stake in Citigroup.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March up 0.09 cent at 30.31 cents per lb. Following soybeans.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm futures finished 2.5 percent higher on Monday to end a five-day losing streak, underpinned by a rally in rival soybean prices, traders said.

The benchmark May contract rose 45 ringgit, or 2.5 percent, to 1,880 ringgit ($515) per tonne.

Other traded contracts rose between 15 and 26 ringgit. Overall volume was 12,382 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Major Southeast Asian stocks rose
on Monday, with Singapore leading gainers thanks to financials and big caps such as DBS Group and Singapore Telecom, while gains in telecom shares helped Indonesia end a two-day fall.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> jumped 2.2 percent with top lender DBS Group
rising 1.1 percent and telecom firm Singapore Telecom climbing 4.2 percent.

Malaysian stocks <.KLSE> inched down 0.2 percent, weighed down by palm planters, with second-largest palm oil producer IOI Corp down 1.6 percent after a drop in second-quarter net profit and a warning about full-year results.