Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Aug 27 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed higher on Thursday as investors turned back an early sell-off, thanks to a rebound in oil prices.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 37.11 points, or 0.39 percent, to end at 9,580.63. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 2.86 points, or 0.28 percent, to 1,030.98. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 3.30 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,027.73.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Aug 27 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures recovered from sharp session losses and ended more than $1 higher on Thursday, shored up by a rebound on Wall Street and weakness in the dollar.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, October crude settled up $1.06, or 1.48 percent, at $72.49 a barrel, trading from $69.83 to $72.76.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - September up 23-3/4 cents to $11.14-1/4. November down 1/2 cent at $9.96.

Tight supply of soy, ongoing buying of U.S. soy by China boost nearby prices, but deferred contracts ease on profit taking and expectations for a large crop this fall. Trade watching Argentine farmer strike.

U.S. Census said U.S. July soy crush 129.37 million bushels, above average trade estimate for 126.7 million.

CBOT-SOYOIL - September down 0.25 cent per lb at 36.21. Choppy trade.

U.S. Census said U.S. July soyoil ending stocks 3.338 billion lbs, above average trade estimate for 3.283 billion.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures edged slightly lower on Thursday with few factors to direct the market.The benchmark November palm oil futures on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange edged down 11 ringgit, to 2,346 after moving in a tight range of 2,335 to 2,369 ringgit. Overall volume was thin at 11,155 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Singapore shares hit a two-week
high on Thursday, led by offshore oil services firm Swiber and Chinese shipbuilder Cosco Corp, while other Southeast Asian bourses ended mixed.

Singapore's benchmark index <.FTSTI> rose 0.5 percent to its highest since Aug. 14, underpinned by gains in mid-capitalized companies such as Swiber Holdings , which surged 7.5 percent, and Cosco Corp , which climbed 4.9 percent.

Malaysia's index <.KLSE> was up 0.4 percent, with Malaysia Mining Corp up 5.7 percent and telecom firm Axiata gaining 0.7 percent after strong quarterly results.

Indonesia's index <.JKSE> dropped 1 percent, weighed down by a 7.3 percent fall in nickel producer International Nickel Indonesia and a 4 percent drop in coal producer Bumi Resources .