Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Dec 3 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed their best week in a month on Friday, shrugging off tepid jobs growth in a sign that the rally may have further to run.

Stocks gained late in the day after reports that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said in a CBS television interview recorded on Nov. 30 that he does not rule out more than the announced $600 billion in Fed asset purchases. The interview with "60 Minutes" has yet to be televised.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 19.68 points, or 0.17 percent, to end at 11,382.09. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 3.18 points, or 0.26 percent, to 1,224.71. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 12.11 points, or 0.47 percent, to close at 2,591.46.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Dec 3 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures rallied for a third straight day on Friday, hitting the highest settlement level in 25 months on a weaker dollar and as heating oil rose sharply on cold weather.

Oil investors shrugged off a disappointing small increase in jobs created in November, leaning instead on a raft of recent economic indicators, which had signalled the economy was growing, albeit at a slow pace, analysts said.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for January delivery settled up $1.19, or 1.35 percent, at $89.19. That marked the highest close since Oct. 7, 2008, when front-month crude ended at $90.06.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy complex close on Friday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - January up 20-1/2 cents at $13.00-1/4 per bushel. Spillover support from soaring wheat with additional support from a lower dollar.

CBOT-SOYOIL - December up 0.61 cent at 53.08 cents per lb; January up 0.61 at 53.45 cents. Support from rally in soybeans.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Malaysia palm oil futures rose 0.4 percent on Friday, extending gains for a fifth day, as traders took positions on worries over possible supply shortages and on firmer grain markets.

Industry analyst Dorab Mistry, head of Indian-based Godrej International, said Malaysian palm oil futures will hit 3,600 ringgit ($1,141)in December and January on tight global vegetable oil supplies, driven by underperforming palm oil output in top suppliers Indonesia and Malaysia.

Oil World's Thomas Mielke and LMC Chairman James Fry also said Malaysian palm oil futures are set to rise sharply in the first quarter of 2011 in the three-day conference.

The Malaysian crude palm oil contract was up 16 ringgit to 3,516 ringgit ($1,115) a tonne. Overall traded volume rose to 12,897 lots of 25 tonnes each, compared to the usual 10,000 lots.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets were mixed on Friday as investors quickly cashed in gains in big caps, but appetite for resource shares remained firm as positive U.S. economic data boosted hopes for global demand.

Despite the day's losses, equities in the region performed better than last week as some investors covered short positions built up over the past month, dealers said.

The weekly gain was led by Vietnam's <.VNI> 5.55 percent, followed by Thailand's <.SETI> 4.27 percent.

Singapore's Staits Times Index <.FTSTI> finished down 0.8 percent on the day, weighed down by a 1.3 percent fall in Singapore Telecommunications , Southeast Asia's largest telecommunications firm.

Malaysia's main share index <.KLSE> eased 0.2 percent. Indonesia <.JKSE> ended flat, with its central bank keeping its policy rate unchanged as expected.