Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, March 30 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks tumbled on Monday as two major U.S. automakers took a step closer to potential bankruptcy, and a spate of European bank rescues heightened concerns over the financial system's health, putting the brakes on a recent run-up.

In the latest efforts in its campaign to shore up the economy and struggling corporations, the U.S. administration forced out General Motors Corp's CEO, pushed Chrysler LLC toward a merger and threatened bankruptcy for both.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> lost 254.16 points, or 3.27 percent, to 7,522.02. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> tumbled 28.41 points, or 3.48 percent, to 787.53. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> fell 43.40 points, or 2.81 percent, to 1,501.80.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, March 30 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures settled more than 7 percent lower on Monday, pressured by a stronger dollar, stock markets weighed down by concerns about U.S. auto companies and banks, and worries about demand in the slowed economy.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May crude settled down $3.97, or 7.58 percent, at $48.41 a barrel, trading between $52.25 and $48.11, lowest since prices fell to $46.92 on March 18.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - May down 12-1/2 cents at $9.04-1/2 a bushel.

Firm dollar and tumbling stock market weighing on soy along with pressure from lower crude oil. News Argentine farmers ending a farmer strike also bearish for U.S. soy futures prices.

CBOT-SOYOIL - May off 0.38 cent at 32.04 cents a pound.

Lower crude oil and drop in U.S. stock markets lending pressure in addition to weight from firm dollar.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures fell 1.0 percent on Monday amid lower crude oil prices and as traders awaited palm oil export numbers.

The benchmark June contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange declined 20 ringgit to 1,970 ringgit ($539.3) per tonne. The contract fell 2.2 percent on Friday.

Other traded months dropped by between 27 and 60 ringgit. <0#KPO:>. Overall volume was 9,078 lots of 25 tonnes each, compared to the usual 10,000 lots.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, March 30 (Reuters) - Major Southeast Asian stock
markets fell to a one-week low on Monday amid crisis in the U.S. automobile industry, with Singapore leading the losses.

Singapore's benchmark index <.FTSTI> dropped 4.2 percent, earlier losing as much as 5 percent to its lowest since March 23, while Thailand's SET index <.SETI> slid 2.5 percent.

Malaysia's main index <.KLSE> ended down 1.8 percent at its lowest since March 23, with Sime Darby down 2.5 percent, Malayan Banking falling 6.0 percent and financial service group CIMB 2 percent lower.