Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) - The Dow fell for the fourth day and other indexes ended well off the day's highs on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve reiterated concerns about the economic outlook at the end of its policy meeting.

The Fed, as expected, left the benchmark fed funds rate at almost zero. The bond market sold off on disappointment that the Fed did not announce an acceleration or increase of its purchases of Treasury and mortgage-related debt.

The Fed's words on the economic outlook were mixed. The central bank said the economy was likely to remain weak for a time, but the contraction's pace was slowing.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 23.05 points, or 0.28 percent, at 8,299.86. But the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 5.84 points, or 0.65 percent, at 900.94. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 27.42 points, or 1.55 percent, at 1,792.34.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended lower on Wednesday after the dollar extended gains following the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates unchanged, as expected.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, August crude settled down 57 cents, or 0.82 percent, at $68.67 a barrel, trading from $68.06 to $69.86.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - July up 6 cents per bushel at $11.85. November up 3-1/2 cents at $10.08. Tight soy supplies continue to give soybean market a boost. Hot, dry conditions in U.S. crop belt seen removing some of the market's weather premium.

CBOT-SOYOIL - July down 0.49 cent per lb at 36.44 cents.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm futures fell 1.6 percent on Wednesday, retreating from the previous day's surge as weakening soyoil prices prompted some investors to take profits.

Sentiment remained buoyant as Malaysian palm oil shipments were expected to show improvement in the June 1-25 reporting period in data from cargo surveyors Intertek Testing Services and Societe Generale de Surveillance that is due on Thursday.

The benchmark September palm oil contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange settled down 36 ringgit at 2,250 ringgit ($637) per tonne, having closed six percent higher the previous day.

Overall traded volume stood at 11,380 lots of 25 tonnes each. Open interest dropped to 68,421 lots, from 73,086 lots on Tuesday.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, June 24 (Reuters) - Major Southeast Asian stock markets rose on Wednesday, ending two days of falls, with financials and energy heavyweights leading the way ahead of news from a U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting.

Malaysia's index <.KLSE> gained 1.3 percent, recouping most of a two-day fall of 1.42 percent, with palm planter IOI Corp up 2.2 percent and Malayan Banking up 2.7 percent.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> climbed 2.4 percent, erasing a 2.1 percent loss over the previous two days, with outperformers including United Overseas Bank , which surged 3.3 percent, and Singapore Airlines , which jumped 4.1
percent.