Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Dec 7 (Reuters) - The dollar retreated from a five-week high and stocks edged lower on Monday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke doused speculation the Fed would raise interest rates soon, saying the economy remains fragile.

While Bernanke acknowledged the U.S. economy has improved, he said the jobless rate may remain elevated for some time. The remarks deflated market perceptions that last week's strong jobs data would lead the U.S. central bank to raise rates.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 1.21 points, or 0.01 percent, at 10,390.11. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 2.73 points, or 0.25 percent, at 1,103.25. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 4.74 points, or 0.22 percent, at 2,189.61.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Dec 7 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell on Monday for the fourth session in a row, to below $74 a barrel, pressured by continued concern for the economy.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Monday cautioned that, while the U.S. economy has improved, recovery remains fragile.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, January crude settled down down $1.54, or 2.04 percent, at $73.93 a barrel, trading from $73.70 to $76.10.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - January up 10 cents per bushel at $10.53. China's big demand for soybeans and higher Dalian soy futures complex
combined to lift soybean futures in addition to outlooks for dwindling U.S. soy supplies amid brisk exports.

CBOT-SOYOIL - December up 0.55 cent per lb at 40.31. January up 0.54 at 40.67. Support from soybeans and gains in Dalian soy complex futures but gains limited by weak crude oil.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures edged down on Monday on profit-taking, after hitting a fresh six-month high, but the fall was limited thanks to stronger rival soybean oil prices, traders said.

Investors took a cautious stance ahead of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board's (MPOB) release of November stocks data on Thursday although they were still bullish on the price outlook, traders said.

The benchmark February contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange settled down 3 ringgit, or 0.1 percent, at 2,559 ringgit ($753.76) per tonne after going as high as 2,606 ringgit, a level unseen since June 5. Overall volume was 14,729 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-JAKARTA, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stocks ended mixed
on Monday, with Indonesia's key index <.JKSE> down 1.1 percent, led by mining and financial stocks, while Vietnam <.VNI> rose 0.7 percent.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> inched up 0.2 percent, while Malaysia <.KLSE> eased 0.38 percent and the Philippines <.PSI> lost 0.5 percent. The market in Thailand <.SETI> was closed on Monday for a holiday.

Commodity trading firm Noble Group and Southeast Asia's biggest property developer CapitaLand buoyed the Singapore stock market, with gains of 1.62 percent and 1.22 percent respectively.

In Kuala Lumpur, the second-largest mobile phone provider Axiata Group Bhd eased 1.3 percent, while gaming firm Genting Bhd rose 1.1 percent.