Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Aug 7 (Reuters) - World stocks ended higher on Friday, while bonds took a hit and the U.S. dollar recovered after better-than-expected U.S. unemployment data reinforced the view that the global economic slump may be nearly over.

The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in July, the first fall in 15 months, while employers cut 247,000 jobs compared to a forecast of 320,000 based on a Reuters poll.

On Friday, the Dow and the S&P 500 ended at closing highs for 2009. Earlier this week, on Tuesday, the Nasdaq popped back above the 2,000 mark to end at 2,011.31 -- its 2009 closing high.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Aug 7 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended lower on Friday, as an encouraging government jobs report fueled big gains on the dollar, dampening interest in commodities.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, September crude settled down $1.01, or 1.4 percent, at $70.93 a barrel, trading from $70.55 to $72.84.

NYMEX September crude's session high was the highest since the $73.38 peak hit on June 30, itself the highest since the Oct. 21, 2008 intraday high of $75.69.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - CBOT August up 14 cents per bushel at $11.84-1/2. New-crop November up 8-1/2 at $10.38-1/2.

Supported by tight stocks of soy and hotter weather in the U.S. Midwest crop belt that led to concerns about potential harm to some of the soybean crop that is in its key pod-setting stage of development. Gains limited by firm dollar.

CBOT-SOYOIL - CBOT August down 0.05 cent per lb at 36.78. Support from gains in soybeans but rally capped by weak crude oil and firm dollar.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures inched up 0.7 percent on Friday as some investors took positions with an eye to potentially bullish vegetable oil stocks data in the Southeast Asian country due next week.

The benchmark October contract on Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives Exchange settled up 16 ringgit at 2,341 ringgit ($668.8), just 0.7 percent off a seven-week high hit on Wednesday.

Industry regulator the Malaysian Palm Oil Board will issue July palm oil data on Monday at 0430 GMT. Cargo surveyors Intertek Testing Services and Societe Generale de Surveillance will unveil Aug. 1-10 on the same day.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Singapore's main share index <.FTSTI> fell 2 percent on Friday, leading other Southeast Asian stock markets lower, as top bank DBS tumbled after it reported rising bad debts in the second quarter.

DBS , Southeast Asia's biggest bank, lost 3.5 percent after a spike in bad debts overshadowed better-than-expected net profits. But the outlook for the bank
has improved as it continues to seize market share from foreign rivals on loans.

Malaysia's index <.KLSE> inched up 0.08 percent, Indonesia's index <.JKSE> lost 0.5 percent, Thailand's <.SETI> dropped 0.8 percent, the Philippine index <.PSI> fell 2.1 percent and Vietnam's <.VNI> edged down 0.16 percent.

In Kuala Lumpur, Genting fell 1.6 percent while palm plantation firms fell along with weak palm oil futures, with Sime Darby down 0.6 percent and IOI Corp down 0.4 percent.