Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, April 1 (Reuters) - The dollar hit a seven-month high against the yen and global stocks rose on Thursday as data showing strong manufacturing growth in Asia, Europe and the Americas raised optimism about the economic recovery.

Oil rose to an 18-month high as the economic data encouraged funds to step up buying on the first day of the second quarter, and higher commodity prices helped drive up
energy and materials shares on both sides of the Atlantic.

Both the Dow and the S&P 500 finished Thursday's session at 18-month highs. The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> ended up 70.44 points, or 0.65 percent, at 10,927.07, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 8.67 points, or 0.74 percent, to 1,178.10. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 4.62 points, or 0.19 percent, to 2,402.58.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, April 1 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures settled higher on Thursday for a fourth straight session as encouraging economic data, fund buying at the second quarter's start and the dollar's weakness against the euro combined to lift oil prices to 2010 peaks.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May crude rose $1.11, or 1.33 percent, to settle at $84.87 a barrel, trading from $83.21 to $85.22, highest intraday price since front-month crude reached $89.82 on Oct. 9, 2008.

CBOT-CHICAGO, April 1 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grains and soy complex close on Thursday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - May up 1 cent at $9.42 a bushel; November up 7-3/4 at $9.25-3/4. Short-covering bounce after the sharp decline on Wednesday.

CBOT-SOYMEAL - May up 10 cents at $265.90 per ton. May/December and July/December meal spreads continue to unwind as concerns about tight nearby supplies ease

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Reuters) - Malaysia crude palm oil futures ended 0.5 percent lower on Thursday, due to a weaker Dalian soyoil market, but strong crude oil prices limited losses.

The benchmark June crude palm oil contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange fell 13 ringgit to settle at 2,543 ringgit ($780.3), after going as low as 2,532 ringgit.

Other contracts ended mixed, ranging from a fall of up to 43 ringgit to 20 ringgit gains. Overall trade more than doubled to 22,873 lots of 25 tonnes each, compared with the usual 10,000 lots.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, April 1 (Reuters) - Indonesian stocks neared a record high on Thursday after inflation data stoked expectations the central bank would keep interest rates at a record low next week, and Thai stocks hit a 22-month high.

Analysts said they expected further stock market gains in Southeast Asia's two biggest economies, citing signs of economic strength, solid earnings growth and benign inflation pressures.

Elsewhere in the region, after a poor first quarter Singapore <.FTSTI> jumped 1.9 percent, hovering around 11-week highs. DBS rose 1.8 percent and Neptune Oreint Lines surged 6.97 percent after an analyst upgrade. [ID:nSGE63000H]

Malaysia <.KLSE> gained 0.7 percent and Vietnam <.VNI> 1.79 percent. The Philippines was closed for its Easter break and will resume trading on Monday.

Singapore and Indonesia are also closed on Friday.