Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday after earnings from Wal-Mart and Home Depot and a $39 billion takeover bid in the agriculture sector bolstered confidence in the corporate outlook.

The two retailing giants reported profit that topped expectations, buoying the Dow industrials.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 103.84 points, or 1.01 percent, at 10,405.85. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 13.16 points, or 1.22 percent, at 1,092.54. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 27.57 points, or 1.26 percent, at 2,209.44.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended higher on Tuesday, rebounding from a five-day losing streak, as stronger equities and growth in U.S. industrial production eased some economic worries while the dollar weakened, prompting more risk-taking in commodities.

Options on NYMEX September crude expired at the close, with open positions concentrated at the $77 call, creating a gravitational pull toward that level.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, September crude settled up 53 cents, or 0.7 percent, at $75.77, trading from $75.01 to $76.63.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy complex close on Tuesday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - September up 11-1/4 cents at $10.45-1/4, new-crop November up 10-1/2 cents at $10.42. Soy/wheat spreading and some support from drier-than-desired weather in roughly 15 to 20 percent of the eastern Midwest. Higher equities, crude oil and a weak dollar added support.

CBOT-SOYOIL - September up 0.14 cent at 41.59 cents per lb. Support from gains in soybeans and firm crude oil.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures fell to more than one-week lows on Tuesday along with other vegetable oil markets although prospects of lower production reined in losses.

Traders were concerned palm oil demand might have slowed after a cargo surveyor reported Malaysian exports fell 16 percent for the first half of August.

The benchmark November crude palm oil futures on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives fell 1.2 percent, or 32 ringgit, to 2,646 ringgit ($832.1) per tonne after touching its lowest point since August 6 of 2,637 ringgit by midday. Traded volume more than doubled to 21,589 lots of 25 tonnes each.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Malaysian shares rose on Tuesday, hovering near 2-½ year highs, as earnings optimism pushed up banks and heavyweight gaming group Genting while concerns over global growth plagued other Southeast Asian bourses.

Malaysia's main share index <.KLSE> ended up 0.6 percent. The index, which outperformed Southeast Asian bourses last week, extended gains for a third session for a combined 2.15 percent rise ahead of second-quarter GDP on Wednesday.

Financial firm AMMB Holdings Bhd rose 3.4 percent to a 2-year high after its quarterly earnings rose 43 percent, while top lender Maybank gained 0.4 percent to near a 2-½ year high on positive expectations for fourth-quarter results due on Aug. 20.

Genting Malaysia , Malaysia's sole casino operator, rose 6 percent while gaming firm Genting Bhd was up 2.4 percent after strong profits from its Singapore operations.

But overbought Singapore-listed Genting dropped 3.8 percent, reversing a 6.3 percent rise in morning trade. Its 14-day relative strength index (RSI) was at 76.65 at the close on Tuesday, breaching the 70-plus mark that indicates overbought.

Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index <.FTSTI> extended losses for a second session, ending 0.35 percent lower.