Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Jan 19 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose broadly on Tuesday, lifting the Dow and the S&P 500 to fresh 15-month closing highs as investors bet a potential Republican victory in Massachusetts' Senate race could stall Obama's reform agenda.

Wall Street also got a boost from technology shares, which rallied in anticipation of strong earnings from bellwether International Business Machines Corp , which rose 1.8 percent to $134.14, making it the Dow's top boost.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Jan 19 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended higher on Tuesday, snapping a five-session losing streak and reversing earlier losses as gains on Wall Street overpowered a stronger dollar, milder weather and ample oil inventories.

U.S. stocks rose as investors scooped up healthcare shares as they bet that a potential Republlican victory in Massachusetts' Senate race could stall President Barak Obama's reforms and remove a threat to profits in the sector.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, February crude settled up $1.02, or 1.31 percent, at $79.02 a barrel. It traded from $76.76, lowest since $76.19 was struck on Dec. 24, to a high of $79.10.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grains and soy complex close on Tuesday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March down 10-1/2 cents at $9.63-1/2 per bushel. Good crop weather in South America and firm dollar combine to weigh on soy futures.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March down 0.38 cent at 37.15 cents per lb.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures closed flat on Tuesday, giving up gains of almost 1 percent as market players scaled back expectations for the exports data, which are due out on Wednesday and cover Jan.1-20, traders said.

There was talk earlier in the day that palm exports for Jan. 1-20 were in the range of 950,000-990,000 tonnes, well above the December figure of 858,307 tonnes. But later in the day, market talk put the number at closer to 927,000 tonnes.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets edged higher on Tuesday but Thai stocks fell more than 1 percent to their lowest in over a week due to selling in heavyweight energy and banking shares.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> edged up 0.03 percent, with CapitaLand climbing 1.9 percent as it bought the property unit of Orient Overseas (International) <0316.HK> for $2.2 billion as part of its goal to increase assets in China to
45 percent of its total over five years.

Malaysia's index <.KLSE> inched up 0.2 percent, earlier touching its highest since May 16, 2008, with Public Bank up 1.7 percent and Maxis up 0.8 percent.