Trader's Highlight

FCPO-JAKARTA, July 5 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil hit a fresh seven-and-a-half month low below 2,300 ringgit a tonne on Monday due to a stronger local currency and concerns about demand for vegetable oils.

World equities fell for the fourth day running on Monday and the dollar traded close to two-month lows on growing worries about slowdowns in the United States and in China -- a major importer of palm oil.

The ringgit traded at 3.2130 to the dollar against 3.2225 the previous day. A stronger ringgit makes the vegetable oil more expensive for overseas buyers, limiting demand.

The benchmark September contract on Bursa Malaysia's Derivatives Exchange closed down 45 ringgit or 1.93 percent to 2,290 ringgit ($714) a tonne, a level not seen since Nov. 13, 2009. Overall volume stood at 11,214 lots of 25 tonnes each, higher than the usual 10,000 lots.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, July 5 (Reuters) - Thai stocks posted small gains on Monday led by telecoms shares as hopes grew a next-generation telecoms licence auction would finally be held later this year, while global economic gloom crimped regional sentiment.

Investors in Thailand also selectively sought firms with good earnings prospects as the earnings season kicks off this month, giving a boost to shares in big banks and some property developers.

Singapore-listed Total Access jumped 4.2 percent, outperforming Singapore's main stock index <.FTSTI>, which ended flat on the session.

Bucking the trend, Malaysia <.KLSE> fell 0.6 percent, ending in negative terrain for a sixth session. The largest lender, Malayan Banking , fell 0.5 percent and number two CIMB lost 1 percent.

Markets elsewhere in Asia inched higher on Monday, with investors taking profits on defensive plays and buying back other beaten-down shares, though selling could resume shortly as the U.S. and Chinese economies are slowing in tandem.