Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Sept 23 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Thursday
after a weak reading on the labor market dropped stocks through a key technical level, validating the worries of those who thought the recent rally was flimsy.

Major indexes were little changed for most of the day before the S&P 500 broke below 1,130, the high end of the summer's trading range. Investors had hoped that the level would hold despite low trading volume, which raised questions about the rally's stamina.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> ended down 76.89 points, or 0.72 percent, at 10,662.42. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> finished down 9.45 points, or 0.83 percent, at 1,124.83. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> fell 7.47 points, or 0.32 percent, at 2,327.08.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Sept 23 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures prices ended higher on units being shut at a key Northeast refinery, lifting crude futures from earlier losses.

Both oil futures and equities markets saw choppy trading as investors digested mixed economic data.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, November crude rose 47 cents, or 0.62 percent, to settle at $75.18 a barrel, trading from $73.58 to $75.61.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy complex close on Thursday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - November up 5 cents per bushel at $10.93-1/2 a bushel. Rallied after Informa Economics cut its estimate of U.S. 2010 soy plantings. Strong weekly soy export sales, a larger-than-expected U.S. Census August soy crush number and harvest delays in western U.S. Midwest add support.

CBOT-SOYOIL - October up 0.64 cent per lb at 43.51 cents per lb. Gaining against soymeal on oil/meal spreads. U.S. soyoil exports large but in line with estimates.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Global vegetable oil markets made a little headway on Thursday on concerns over erratic weather curbing grain harvests across the globe.

Traders are shifting their focus to a strengthening weather formation known as La Nina, which may affect the upcoming South American growing season for wheat, corn and soybeans.

China's financial markets were shut this week for the Mid-Autumn festival, giving few cues for vegetable markets. Chicago soyoil for October climbed 0.6 percent in tandem with gains in the soy complex during Asian hours.

Malaysia's benchmark palm oil futures barely moved in thin trade on Thursday, as traders awaited signs of demand from the world's No. 2 vegetable oil buyer, China, when a cargo surveyor unveils Malaysian palm oil exports over the weekend.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets fell on Thursday as investors took profits on recent gains, but Thailand and the Philippines rose, helped by continued foreign demand.

Most share markets failed to hold their early gains and interest was patchy, with market holidays in China <.SSEC>, Japan <.N225> and elsewhere in Asia.

The MSCI index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> was down 0.1 percent at 1001 GMT.

Singapore's index <.FTSTI> ended down 0.42 percent, slipping from a 27-month high set the previous day. Malaysia <.KLSE> dropped 1.1 percent, Indonesia <.JKSE> eased 0.2 percent and Vietnam <.VNI> fell 0.7 percent, each to around a one-week low.

Among losers in the region, Singapore casino operator Genting Singapore Plc fell 1.4 percent and its Malaysian-listed Genting Malaysia Bhd lost 4.3 percent. Both hit a record high this week.