Trader's Highlight

DJI- NEW YORK, Dec 31 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended 2009 on Thursday with their best gains since 2003, driven by optimism about the economy's recovery and a brighter outlook for profits.

The benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 23.5 percent for the year, while the Dow climbed 18.8 percent and the Nasdaq jumped 43.9 percent from its close on Dec. 31, 2008.

NYMEX- NEW YORK, Dec 31 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended slightly higher on Thursday, up a seventh straight session and reaching $80 a barrel intraday for the first time since November.

Crude oil futures ended the year up 78 percent from the $44.60 settlement on Dec. 31, 2008, the biggest percentage calendar year rise in a decade.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange on Thursday, February crude rose 8 cents, or 0.1 percent, to settle at $79.36 a barrel, trading from $79.16 to $80.00, highest intraday price since $80.33 was struck on Nov. 18.

CBOT- CHICAGO, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grains and soy complex close on Thursday.

CBOT- SOYBEANS - January up 3-1/2 cents per bushel at $10.39-3/4. March up 4 at $10.48-1/2. Support from big number for soy in USDA's weekly export sales report that was released on Thursday. Soy also supported by ongoing short-covering after the slide of prices last week.

CBOT- SOYOIL - January up 0.86 cent per lb at 40.35 cents per lb. March up 0.86 at 40.78. Spillover support from soybeans with additional support from firm crude oil market.

FCPO- JAKARTA, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures ended up nearly 56 percent in 2009 to post their biggest annual climb in more than a decade and traders see room for more gains in the first quarter of 2010 on lower production and strong demand.
Palm oil gained 55.8 percent in 2009, the biggest gain since 1997, after having lost 44 percent in 2008.