Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Nov 11 (Reuters) - The Dow and the Standard & Poor's 500 index closed at 13-month highs on Wednesday as an upbeat forecast from a top homebuilder and data from China pointed to a strengthening global economy.

The Dow's advance was its sixth straight as comments from top Federal Reserve officials suggesting low interest rates will stay for some time added to the positive tone.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 44.29 points, or 0.43 percent, at 10,291.26. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 5.50 points, or 0.50 percent, at 1,098.51. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 15.82 points, or 0.74 percent, at 2,166.90.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Nov 11 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures ended slightly higher on Wednesday, supported by data showing increased industrial activity and healthy crude imports in China while a bounce by the dollar limited oil's advance.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration's oil inventory report was delayed until Thursday at 11:00 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) due to Wednesday's federal Veterans Day holiday.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, December crude rose 23 cents, or 0.29 percent, to settle at $79.28 a barrel, trading from $78.57 to $80.10.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - November up 2-1/4 cents per bushel at $9.63-3/4. January up 4 at $9.72.

Fund buying, higher crude oil and gold boost soybean market in addition to support from gains in equities markets.

CBOT-SOYOIL - December up 0.81 cent per lb at 38.37. Firm crude oil and gains in soy combine to lift soyoil futures.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures dropped 0.4 percent on Wednesday, extending recent losses, on high stock levels.

The benchmark January contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange settled down 8 ringgit at 2,234 ringgit ($662.1) per tonne. Trade volumes more than halved to 5,092 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets rose on Wednesday, with Singapore hitting a 14-month high and beaten-down blue chips recouping recent losses -- from Indonesia's Bumi Resources to Thailand's Banpu.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> ended up 1.2 percent at its highest since Sept 3, 2008, with Singapore Telecommunications rising 1.4 percent after Southeast Asia's biggest telecom firm posted an 18.8 percent profit rise.

Bucking the trend, Malaysia <.KLSE> eased 0.3 percent, ending its sixth day of rises, as palm plantation firm Sime Darby fell 1 percent and IOI Corp was 0.4 percent lower, in line with weaker palm oil prices.