Trader's Highlight

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 (Reuters) - Malaysia palm oil futures rose on Friday, playing catch up with gains in crude oil and soyoil in the previous session.

U.S. crude oil and soyoil markets are closed on Friday for the long Easter weekend, along with other regional markets, which has kept palm oil's trading volumes light.

The benchmark June crude palm oil contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange edged up 0.6 percent, or 16 ringgit, to settle at 2,559 ringgit ($788.4). Traded volume was 7,134 lots of 25 tonnes each, from the usual 10,000 lots.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, April 2 (Reuters) - Thai stocks ended flat on Friday, sticking around 22-month highs as optimism grew over the economic recovery, while Malaysia hit a 25-month high.

The region had a listless session as many Asian bourses were closed on Good Friday, including Indonesia, Asia's best performer this year, Singapore and the Philippines, which reopen on Monday.

Malaysia <.KLSE> added 0.46 percent to its highest since March 4, 2008, led by a 1.4 percent rise in financial CIMB Group and a 0.85 percent gain in Public Bank .

Malaysia Airports climbed 3.1 percent to 4.95 ringgit. Broker OSK rated it a 'trading buy' with a target price of 5.5 ringgit, citing its business and revenue outlook.