Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, June 18 (Reuters) - The Dow and S&P 500 gained on Thursday, breaking a three-day losing streak, as data on the job market and regional manufacturing revived hopes that the recession-hit economy is stabilizing.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 58.42 points, or 0.69 percent, to 8,555.60. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 7.66 points, or 0.84 percent, to 918.37. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was off just 0.34 of a point,
or 0.02 percent, at 1,807.72.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, June 18 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended higher on Thursday, as reassuring economic data on jobless benefit claims and regional manufacturing and a buoyant Wall Street combined to keep prices above $71 a barrel.

News that Royal Dutch Shell had halted some oil production in Nigeria following an attack by militants on its pipelines in Bayelsa state in the Niger Delta was also supportive, analysts said.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, July crude settled up 34 cents, or 0.48 percent, at $71.37 a barrel, trading from $70.22 to $71.75. The contract expires on Monday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - July up 7-1/2 cents at $12.13-3/4 a bushel.
Choppy market fluctuated between back and forth early in session. Soybeans receiving support from stronger-than-expected export sales and concerns about tight stocks.

CBOT-SOYOIL - July down 0.15 cent at 36.95 cents a lb. Soymeal/soyoil spreading weighs on soyoil prices.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm futures tumbled as much as 3.8 percent to hit a 10-week low on Thursday as the prospect of slower Indian demand fuelled speculative selling.

The benchmark September contract on Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives Exchange dropped as much 91 ringgit to 2,284 ringgit ($646.8), a level unseen since April 10, before settling at 2,299 ringgit. Overall volume surged to 18,192 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, June 18 (Reuters) - Major Southeast Asian stock markets tumbled again on Thursday, with Jakarta sliding more than 3 percent and Singapore declining for a sixth day, weighed down

Malaysia <.KLSE> fell 1.5 percent after a 1.86 percent loss over the previous two days, Thailand <.SETI> and Indonesia <.JKSE> dropped for a fourth day, down 2.7 percent and 3.7 percent respectively, while Manila <.PSI> fell for a third day,
easing 0.3 percent.

by losses in heavyweight banking shares.
from the usual 10,000 lots.