Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The Nasdaq advanced on Monday as investors bought beaten-down technology stocks after a four-day selloff, but concerns about the economy after weak data kept investors wary. The Standard & Poor's 500 index and the Dow industrials fell modestly.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 9.69 points, or 0.09 percent, at 10,293.46. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 0.60 point, or 0.06 percent, at 1,078.65. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 8.13 points, or 0.37 percent, at 2,181.61.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Crude oil futures ended lower for the fifth consecutive session on Monday as weak economic data from Japan and the United States fueled more worries about energy demand, erasing support from a weaker dollar.

The down day extended the oil market's losing streak to five sessions, with losses rising to more than 7 percent, the worst performance since a similar period ending July 6.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for September delivery settled down 15 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $75.24 a barrel, after trading $74.86 to $75.95.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy complex close on Monday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - September down 9-1/2 cents at $10.34, new-crop November down 12-1/2 at $10.31-1/2. Pressure from falling wheat futures and from a turn to better crop weather this week in the U.S. Midwest.

CBOT-SOYOIL - September down 1.07 cents per lb at 41.45 cents per lb. Funds sold 3,000 to 4,000 contracts.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures closed almost half a percent lower on Monday on weaker overseas demand but weather concerns in key soy-growing regions limited losses.

Traders were concerned that strong demand was tapering off when cargo surveyors reported up to 16.4 percent decline in Malaysian palm oil exports for August 1-15.

The benchmark November crude palm oil futures ended 0.45 percent, or 12 ringgit, lower at 2,678 ringgit ($845.8) per tonne. Overall traded volume more than doubled to 24,510 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Malaysian stocks rose to their highest in nearly 2-½ years on Monday on optimism over domestic economic growth, while Southeast Asia's other big stock markets retreated on concerns over the global economy.

Malaysia's main share index <.KLSE> ended up 0.8 percent at the highest since February 2008, helped by expectations second-quarter economic data on Aug. 18 will show the economy grew about 8.1 percent from a year earlier.

While that's slower than the first quarter's 10.1 percent growth, it still shows the economy in sturdy shape, drawing investors into shares with good earnings prospects such as gaming group Genting Bhd and top lender Maybank .

Malaysia has been a regional stock market laggard with gains for the year of 7.7 percent, Southeast Asia's third-worst performer, followed by Singapore's 1.2 percent gain and Vietnam's 6.1 percent loss.

Outperforming Genting rose 6.6 percent, with foreigners seen buying the stock, dealers said. It rose on Friday after its Singapore operations posted a second-quarter profit. Singapore-listed Genting surged 8.2 percent.

Maybank rose 2.9 percent on expectations of positive fourth-quarter results scheduled for Aug. 20.

Major stock markets, including Singapore <.FTSTI>, Indonesia <.JKSE> and Thailand <.SETI>, were weaker as soft U.S. economic figures and escalating risk aversion took a toll.

Singapore edged down 0.2 percent, Indonesia <.JKSE>, Asia's best performing bourse this year, recovered from early losses to end almost unchanged. Jakarta will be shut on Tuesday for a national holiday and trading will resume on Wednesday.

In Singapore, Singapore Telecommunications , Southeast Asia's largest telecoms firm, fell 2.6 percent to S$2.96, having hit S$2.95, the lowest since June 11.

Broker Citi Investment Research cut the stock's target price to S$3 as it reduced its earnings forecast for 2011 and 2012 by 2-5 percent, in part due to lower contributions from foreign affiliates.