Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Sept 15 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday to 2009 highs after stronger manufacturing and retail sales data boosted commodity prices and shares of materials companies.

Tuesday's gains lifted the S&P 500 above the 1,050 level for the first time since early October.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 56.61 points, or 0.59 percent, to close at 9,683.41. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 3.29 points, or 0.31 percent, to 1,052.63. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 10.86 points, or 0.52 percent, to 2,102.64.

Comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the recession was probably at an end also favored basic materials companies, Caughey said.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Sept 15 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures pared gains in post-settlement trading on Tuesday after industry data showed a surprise increase in domestic crude stocks last week.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange at 5:15 p.m. EDT (2215 GMT), October crude was up $1.44, or 2.09 percent, at $70.30 a barrel. It had settled earlier up $2.07, or 3.01 percent, at $70.93, trading from $68.48 to $71.19.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - November up 51 cents at $9.60 per bushel. Surging on forecasts for colder weather next week in the U.S. Midwest that could harm the crop, which is immature because it was planted late.

CBOT-SOYOIL - October up 1.03 cents per lb at 34.43. Following soybeans. Firm crude oil adds support.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures bounced off an eight-week low on Tuesday as investors shrugged off poor export data and focused on covering short positions ahead of a long holiday weekend, traders said.

The benchmark November contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivative Exchange rose 31 ringgit, or 1.5 percent, to 2,101 ringgit ($600.29) a tonne. Overall volume was 15,663 lots of 25 tonnes each.

The exchange will be closed on Sept. 21-22 for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets rebounded on Tuesday, with Indonesia rising more than 1 percent and others posting smaller gains, led by big caps such as Bumi Resources, PPB Group and DBS Group.

Markets in the region recouped Monday's losses, with investors recovering their appetite for riskier assets, analysts said.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> inched down 0.05 percent, erasing an early 0.7 percent gain, Malaysia's index <.KLSE> was up 0.3 percent, Thailand's index <.SETI> climbed 1.3 percent and Vietnam's index <.VNI> inched up 0.03 percent.

In Kuala Lumpur, Tenaga Nasional gained 2.1 percent and plantation group PPB rose 1.8 percent.

Proton Holdings jumped 5.4 percent on market speculation Malaysian billionaire Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary may be interested in acquiring a controlling stake in the car maker.