Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, July 21 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday as a solid profit from Caterpillar Inc overcame some uneasiness about the company's outlook for the current quarter, but the gains were limited as some investors paused following the recent earnings-fueled run-up.

In addition, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said in testimony before a congressional panel that mounting joblessness, slumping home values and tight credit were likely to curb consumer spending -- a major driver of U.S. economic growth and corporate profits.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 67.79 points, or 0.77 percent, to 8,915.94. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 3.45 points, or 0.36 percent, to 954.58. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 6.91 points, or 0.36 percent, to 1,916.20 -- a closing high for the year.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, July 21 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended higher on Tuesday, but only after seesawing amid hopes for economic recovery and caution about the pace of any recovery.

Bernanke said the outlook for the U.S. economy was improving, but supportive policies would be needed for some time to prevent rising unemployment from undercutting recovery.

A Reuters analyst survey on Tuesday yielded a forecast for crude supplies to have fallen last week. Refined products supplies were expected to be higher.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, expiring August crude rose 74 cents, or 1.16 percent, to settle at $64.72 a barrel, trading from $63.51 to $65.53.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - August down 18-1/2 cents at $10.14-1/2 a bushel.

Expectations for favorable weather conditions leading into U.S. crop's key pod-setting stage of development pressure prices due to prospects for yield improvement.

Expectations for favorable weather conditions leading into U.S. crop's key pod-setting stage of development pressure prices due to prospects for yield improvement.

CBOT-SOYOIL - August down 0.57 cent at 34.77 cents per lb. Following soybeans lower.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures dropped almost 1 percent on Tuesday, halting a two-day winning streak as traders doubted the strength of Asian festival demand this year.

The benchmark October contract on Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives Exchange settled down 17 ringgit at 2,143 ringgit ($605.4) per tonne. Overall volume was 15,855 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, July 21 (Reuters) - The main Southeast Asian stock
markets erased early gains on Tuesday and ended lower, with Singapore and Malaysia snapping a five-day winning streak as big-caps such as CapitaLand and Public Bank met profit-taking.

Singapore <.FTSTI> slid 0.1 percent, with developer CapitaLand down 1.3 percent after a 15 percent surge in
five days, while Malaysia <.KLSE> lost 0.4 percent, with Public
Bank down 2 percent after a seven-day rise of 12
percent.

Indonesia <.JKSE> climbed 1.9 percent when trade resumed after a market holiday on Monday, while the Philippine index <.PSI> rose for a fifth day to end 0.2 percent higher and Vietnam <.VNI> gained 0.9 percent.