Trader's Highlights

DJI - NEW YORK, Sept 24 - U.S. stocks fell on Thursday as signs of weakness in housing and investors' worries that authorities might be curbing stimulus efforts too soon sparked caution.

World central banks said they would scale back infusions of U.S. dollars into their banking systems, fueling unease triggered a day earlier when stocks sold off following the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to slow purchases of mortgage debt.

That program has been one of the key pillars of the Fed's
efforts to support mortgage lending.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 41.11 points, or 0.42 percent, to 9,707.44. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 10.09 points, or 0.95 percent, to 1,050.78. The Nasdaq Composite Index slid 23.81 points, or 1.12 percent, to 2,107.61.

NYMEX - NEW YORK, Sept 24 - U.S. crude oil futures settled at the lowest level in eight weeks on Thursday as weak home sales suggested a slow economic recovery and added to demand worries following a government report on Wednesday of a surprise large increase in oil supply.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, front-month November crude settled down $3.08, or 4.47 percent, at $65.89 a barrel, the lowest settlement since July 29, when front-month crude closed at $63.35. It ranged from $68.77 to a low of $65.60, the weakest intraday price since $65.23 on Aug. 17.

CBOT - SOYBEANS - November down 1 cent at $9.19-1/2 a bushel.
Worries about cool weather in the Midwest also support soybean futures. Soy losing ground to corn as spreads correct. Prospects for record large soy harvest overhang market.

CBOT - SOYOIL - October down 0.07 cent at 34.09 cents per lb; December down 0.09 at 34.47.
Support from strong export sales of soyoil was overcome by sliding crude oil.

FCPO - KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 - Malaysian crude palm futures ended off nine-day lows on Thursday although prospects of improved global vegetable oil supplies overshadowed a slight improvement in exports.

The benchmark December contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivative Exchange lost as much as 56 ringgit to 2,090 ringgit ($601.6), a level unseen since Sept. 15. But it recovered slightly, settling down 31 ringgit at 2,115 ringgit a tonne.

REGIONAL EQUITIES - BANGKOK, Sept 24 - Southeast Asian stock markets drifted lower on Thursday, coming off their days' highs in line with other Asian shares, but analysts said foreigners would continue to push funds into the region.

Bucking the trend, Indonesia's index gained 0.5 percent, catching up with gains elsewhere over the past four days when it was closed for a Muslim holiday.

Most Asian currencies eased as the dollar rebounded, which pushed stocks down, as did the view the Federal Reserve might be closer to reining back its extraordinary stimulus measures, even though it reiterated a pledge to keep interest rates low.

Singapore's index ended down 0.7 percent, with Singapore Telecommunications easing 0.3 percent, and Malaysia's index slid 0.1 percent, led by a 0.3 percent
drop in lender Maybank.

Thailand's index was off 0.3 percent as oil fell closer to $68 a barrel, which prompted selling in heavyweight energy shares, with PTT falling 1.1 percent and PTT Exploration off 1.7 percent.

The Philippines inched down 0.2 percent and Vietnam lost 1.3 percent.