Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks stumbled on Friday as energy shares dropped along with oil prices on worries about weak demand, overshadowing fresh reassuring economic data.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> declined 62.68 points, or 0.75 percent, to 8,268.64. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dropped 10.19 points, or 1.14 percent, to 882.88. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> eased 9.07 points, or 0.54 percent, to 1,680.14.

Data showed consumer prices were unchanged last month, while consumer confidence in May pushed to its highest level since Lehman Brothers' collapse last September, which sent shock waves through the financial system.

The reports, along with industrial output that declined at a slower pace, gave more signs that the recession's worst phase may be abating.

However credit card data was not so cheery, showing defaults rose in April to record highs, with Citigroup and Wells Fargo posting double-digit loss rates as the economy shed more jobs.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended almost 4 percent lower on Friday amid demand worries following a pullback on Wall Street and as the dollar's safe-haven bets rose on fears that a global economic recovery may be far off.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, June crude settled down $2.28, or 3.89 percent, at $56.34 a barrel, trading from $56.07 to $58.88. From a week ago, prices are down $2.29, or 3.9 percent. For the year, prices are up $11.74 or 26.3 percent from the Dec. 31 settlement at $44.60.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - July down 17 cents at $11.30-1/2 a bushel.

Profit-taking after hitting 7-1/2 month high this week weighs. Soy supported by tight stocks amid good demand for soy by China and low yields in the South American soy harvest.

CBOT-SOYOIL - July down 0.94 cent at 37.90 cents per lb. Spillover pressure from falling soybeans and lower crude oil.

FCPO-JAKARTA, May 15 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm futures closed lower for a second consecutive day on Friday, wiping out earlier gains of up to 2.6 percent, as volatile soy prices overshadowed the impact of strong exports, traders said.

The benchmark July contract settled down 21 ringgit, or 0.78 percent, at 2,663 ringgit ($750.77) per tonne, after running as high as 2,753 ringgit. Overall volume was 14,855 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, May 15 (Reuters) - Most major Southeast Asian stock
markets rose on Friday, recovering from recent falls as investors bought market heavyweights such as Singapore's CapitaLand, Malaysia's Tenaga Nasional and Thailand's Siam Commercial Bank.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> gained 0.8 percent, recouping a 2.9 percent fall to a one-week low on Thursday, Malaysia <.KLSE> was up 0.2 percent, ending a four-day fall, and Thailand <.SETI> rose 1.4 percent after a 4.7 percent loss the day before.