Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Optimism about the economic recovery on Monday encouraged investors to buy stocks and dump U.S. Treasuries, while gold prices fell as investors expected the dollar to remain firm in the beginning of the new year.

Speculation that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates sooner than forecast drove the dollar to a six-week high against the yen and kept it near its strongest level against the euro in three months.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> ended up 85.25 points, or 0.83 percent, at 10,414.14, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 11.58 points, or 1.05 percent, to 1,114.05. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 25.97 points, or 1.17 percent, at 2,237.66.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Dec 21 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures ended lower on Monday, pressured by the stronger dollar as the front-month January crude contract moved toward expiration.

The market also eyed indications that OPEC will leave production targets unchanged at its meeting on Tuesday.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, expiring January crude fell 89 cents, or 1.21 percent, to settle at $72.47 a barrel, trading from $71.99 to $74.32.

NYMEX February crude fell 70 cents, or 0.94 percent, to settle at $73.72 a barrel, trading from $73.17 to $75.24.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - January down 11 cents at $10.01 a bushel. Market closes at lowest level since Nov. 13 on pressure from drop in crude oil prices. Good growing weather in South America, firm dollar also contribute to weakness.

CBOT-SOYOIL - January down 0.05 cent at 38.28 cents per lb.Turned lower as crude oil fell.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures dropped 2.5 percent on Monday, retreating from last week's six-and-a-half month highs on Friday's drop in U.S. soyoil prices as well as slowing exports.

The benchmark March contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange settled down 65 ringgit at 2,555 ringgit ($744.5) per tonne, its sharpest one-day drop since Oct. 2.The contract on Friday hit 2,628 ringgit, a level unseen since June. 2.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Indonesia's stock index fell more
than 3 percent to its lowest in almost three weeks on Monday, leading declines in other major regional markets, with big caps such as Telkom Indonesia and Astra International leading the way.

Malaysia <.KLSE>, which was also closed on Friday, fell almost 1 percent on Monday to its lowest since Nov. 30, as palm plantation firms fell in line with crude palm oil futures, which dropped 2.2 percent on the day. [nSGE5BK03B] Among losers, IOI Corp slid 2.5 percent, Sime Darby was off 1.1 percent, Wilmar International fell 0.5 percent and Astra Agro lost 3.8 percent.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> fell 0.6 percent, with top lender DBS Group Holdings off 1.6 percent, top telecoms firm Singapore Telecommunications dropping 2.3 percent and United Overseas Bank 0.7 percent lower.