Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Jan 4 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks climbed broadly on Monday after a report showed the manufacturing sector expanded for a fifth straight month, lifting confidence in the global economy as investors eye fourth quarter earnings.

The rally, which marked the first trading day of 2010, drove both the Dow and the S&P 500 to their highest closes in 15 months, while the Nasdaq ended at a 16-month high.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Jan 4 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures rose on Monday for the eighth day in a row, as cold weather was seen boosting heating demand, Russia and Belarus feuded over oil pricing and signs of manufacturing strength fed hopes for more energy demand. The weaker dollar also helped lift oil prices to start the
new year.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, February crude settled up $2.15, or 2.71 percent, at $81.51 a barrel, the highest settlement since Oct. 9, 2008's $86.59. It traded from $79.63 to $81.68, the highest since prices hit an intraday
peak of $81.78 on Oct. 23, 2009.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grains and soy complex close on Monday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - January up 9-3/4 cents at $10.49-1/2 a bushel; March up 9-1/2 at $10.58. Weak dollar, higher crude oil and gold give support to soy in addition to continued buying of U.S. soy by China. Soy rallies to highest spot price since Dec. 16, but profit-taking pushes market off day's highs.

CBOT-SOYOIL - January up 0.55 cent at 40.90 cents per lb; March up 0.51 at 41.29 cents. Following soybeans with weak dollar and firm crude oil lending support.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures rose 0.6 percent on Monday, propelled by crude oil's advance to $81 a barrel and expectations of strong food demand in the first quarter of this year.

Palm oil prices extended gains on the first trading day of 2010 after posting their largest annual climb in more than a decade last year and traders say festival demand from China will boost the market further.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Stock markets in Singapore,
Thailand and the Philippines fell on the first trading day of
2010, but optimism over the global economy encouraged buying of
blue chips in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Singapore's benchmark stock index <.FTSTI> ended 2009 at its
highest level in 17 months but retreated 0.11 percent on Monday
after weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter GDP.

Malaysia's main index <.KLSE>, the region's worst performer,
rose 0.23 percent to a six-week high, pushed up by buying of palm
plantation firm Sime Darby Bhd and second-largest
lender CIMB Group .