Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, April 14 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday as a surprising drop in retail sales dented hopes the recession was abating and financial shares slid on fears that Goldman Sachs' share offering could prompt others to follow suit.

"There is fear that other banks wanting to pay back government funds may want to raise cash by issuing shares," said Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist at Ohio-based Schaeffer's Investment Research.

The gloomy news on retail shows that "maybe the economy hasn't turned around as the last 5-week bounce suggested."

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 137.63 points, or 1.71 percent, to 7,920.18. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> fell 17.23 points, or 2.01 percent, to 841.50. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> declined 27.59 points, or 1.67 percent, to 1,625.72.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, April 14 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell further in post-settlement trade on Tuesday, but stuck to the day's range, after industry data showed that crude inventories rose much higher than expected last week.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange at 4:50 p.m. EDT (2050 GMT), May crude was down 89 cents, or 1.78 percent, at $49.16 a barrel. It had settled 64 cents, or 1.28 percent, lower at $48.41, trading from $48.85 to $51.12.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - May up 14-1/2 cents at $10.36 a bushel.

Rallies to three-month top. Market technically strong and supported by good Chinese demand for U.S. soy, which is seen drawing down American stocks to a five-year low.

Oil World cuts Argentina's 2009 soy crop forecast.

National Oilseed Processors Association reported U.S. March soy crush at 137.257 million bushels, slightly below average estimate for 137.7 million.

CBOT-SOYOIL - May up 0.89 cent at 36.95 cents per lb.

Supported by the strength in Asian vegoil markets. Strong soybean market also supportive.

NOPA said U.S. March soyoil stocks 2.593 billion lbs., above February 2.501 billion. Analysts expected stocks to increase by 40-100 million lbs.

FCPO-JAKARTA, April 14 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm futures jumped 6.4 precent to a new high in nearly eight months on Tuesday amid market talk that key data, due to be released tomorrow, will show strong exports in the first 15 days of April, traders said.

The benchmark June contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange rose 150 ringgit to 2,485 ringgit ($693.17) per tonne, the highest closing level since September 4.

Other traded months rose between 65 and 179 ringgit, except for the March 2010 contract, which fell 20 ringgit. <0#KPO:>. Overall volume was heavy at 23,790 lots of 25 tonnes each, more than double the usual 10,000 lots.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur Composite Index <.KLSE> gained 1.3
percent, and Singapore's benchmark Index <.FTSTI> rose 1.1 percent, helped by a 7 percent gain in property firm Capitaland .

Philippine shares <.PSI> edged down 0.3 percent, but Vietnam stocks <.VNI> gained 2.1 percent. Thai markets <.SETI> were closed for a holiday.