Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, June 9 (Reuters) - The Nasdaq rose on Tuesday after an improved outlook from Texas Instruments lifted technology stocks, but news that 10 big banks will repay TARP funds failed to stir investor enthusiasm.

Department said 10 big banks will pay back $68 billion received under the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, to the government. But the market quickly fell back on concerns that the money could be put to better use by making loans to businesses and consumers, which would boost the economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 1.43 points, or 0.02 percent, to 8,763.06. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 3.29 points, or 0.35 percent, to 942.43. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> climbed 17.73 points, or 0.96 percent, to 1,860.13.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, June 9 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures struck a new seven-month intraday high in post-settlement trading on Tuesday after the American Petroleum Institute's weekly inventory data showed a much larger-than-expected crude stock
drawdown last week.

The API said domestic crude stocks fell 6.0 million barrels to 357.9 million barrels last week, citing a big drop in imports.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange at the 5:15 p.m. EDT (2115 GMT), July crude was up $2.52, or 3.7 percent, at $70.61 a barrel, after hitting an intraday high of $70.69, the highest since prices hit $71.77 on Nov. 4. The day's low was
$68.43.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - July up 11 cents per bushel at $12.43-1/2.

Climbs to nine-month high with support from lower dollar and higher crude oil. Volatile July/November spread remains the dominant feature with tight soy stocks lifting July while likely increased U.S. soy plantings limit rallies in November.

USDA said 78 percent of the U.S. soybean crop had been planted, below trade estimates for 80 percent and below five-year average of 87 percent.

CBOT-SOYOIL - July up 0.05 cent per lb at 39.45. Gains in crude oil, weak dollar and higher soybeans lifting soyoil futures.

FCPO-JAKARTA, June 9 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures closed flat on Tuesday, giving up gains of up to around 1.6 percent, as speculation over falling exports in the first 10 days of June sparked some late selling, traders said.

The benchmark August contract on the Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives Exchange settled up 5 ringgit, or 0.2 percent, to 2,465 ringgit ($699.29) per tonne, after trading as high as 2,504 ringgit. Overall volume was 15,648 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, June 9 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stocks ended
higher on Tuesday, with Singapore coming off a 1-week low and Indonesia rising almost 2 percent as heavyweight shares like Singapore Air and Bank Mandiri led the way.

Equities in the region fell earlier in the day as investors cashed in on recent rallies. Analysts said a weak U.S. dollar boded well for stocks and commodity prices.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> closed up 0.7 percent, after sliding to a 1-week low in early trade. Indonesia's index <.JKSE> climbed 1.8 percent after a 1.1 percent fall on Monday, and Thailand's index <.SETI> rose 1.3 percent after opening lower.

Bucking the trend, Malaysia index <.KLSE> fell for a second day, down 0.1 percent after Malaysia's long-term local currency rating was cut to A from A-plus by Fitch Ratings.