Trader's Highlight

DJI- NEW YORK, Dec 29 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks edged lower in a low-volume session on Tuesday, breaking a six-day string of gains as investors found little reason to push stocks higher as the year's end approached.

Data showing a rise in consumer confidence was offset by a housing report pointing to more bumps in the road. The day's decline followed six days of gains. But the
benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index is still up 25 percent for the year.

NYMEX- NEW YORK, Dec 29 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures were little changed in late trade on Tuesday, after an industry report showed a rise in U.S. crude stockpiles -- a report that followed a slightly higher settlement after a seesaw session.

Crude was supported by cold weather that lifted heating oil futures and by expectations that oil inventory reports would show that crude and distillate inventories fell last week.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, February crude rose 10 cents, or 0.13 percent, to settle at $78.87 a barrel, trading from $78.02 to $79.39, highest intraday price since $79.92 was struck on Nov. 23.

CBOT- CHICAGO, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grains and soy complex closing on Tuesday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - January up 9 cents at at $10.38 per bushel; March up 9 at $10.47. Turned higher on a lack of commercial selling and strong export pace in addition to technical advances after falling to oversold levels last week. Market also extending Monday's 3 percent rally, which was tied to expected index fund purchases in early January.

CBOT-SOYOIL - January down 0.20 cent at 39.43 cents per lb; March down 0.20 at 39.85 cents. Profit-taking after the strong rally on Monday amd meal/oil spreading also weighs.

FCPO- JAKARTA, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures ended barely changed on Tuesday after earlier gains faded on profit taking and as a firmer U.S. dollar weighed on prices.

The benchmark March contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange closed down 2 ringgit, or 0.08 percent, at 2,590 ringgit ($755) per tonne.

REGIONAL EQUITIES- BANGKOK, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Thailand's stock market <.SETI> climbed to its highest in more than two months on Tuesday, leading gains in other major Southeast Asian stock markets as investors snapped up energy counters and commodity stocks.

Singapore hit its highest in nearly 17 months thanks to a more positive outlook for the U.S. economy in 2010 after holiday sales figures sent Wall Street to its highest close of 2009, but trading in Asia remained thin.

Malaysia's main index <.KLSE> advanced 0.2 percent to its highest in more than five weeks, with palm plantation company Sime Darby up 0.1 percent.