Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Energy shares helped the Dow and S&P 500 end a three-day losing streak on Tuesday, even as investors worried rising fuel costs will undercut economic growth.

Earnings reports from smaller companies, including homebuilder Lennar and store chain Sears Holdings, also supported stocks, but volume was low for a second day, raising questions about the sustainability of the longer term rally.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 34.43 points, or 0.30 percent, to 11,671.88. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 4.73 points, or 0.37 percent, to 1,274.48. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 9.03 points, or 0.33 percent, to 2,716.83.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Jan 11 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures rose for a second day on Tuesday and settled above $91 a barrel as new production disruptions in the United States and Europe spawned fresh supply concerns.

This developed even as the Trans Alaska Pipeline remained shut, keeping 12 percent of U.S. production idle. However, the pipeline was expected to restart this week with plans to bypass a leaking section, according to a source familiar with its operations.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, February crude settled up $1.86, or 2.08 percent, at $91.11 a barrel, after trading from $88.93 to $91.33. It was the highest settlement since Jan. 3's close at $91.55.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy complex close on Tuesday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March down 23-1/2 cents at $13.57 per bushel. Forecasts for wetter weather by next week in dry areas of Argentina weighed on soybean futures as did profit-taking, weak cash markets and selling of calls in soy options.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March down 0.52 cent at 56.61 cents per lb. Spillover pressure from sliding soy.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil eased on Tuesday, ahead of a key U.S. Department of Agriculture report that will likely trim the agency's forecast for South American soy output due to a lingering dry spell.

The USDA crop report due on Wednesday may also show lower soybean stocks driven by strong Chinese export demand, suggesting that food demand in Asia is still going strong.

Benchmark March 2011 crude palm oil on Bursa Malaysia derivatives settled down 27 ringgit, or 0.7 percent, at 3,703 ringgit($1,202) a tonne. Overall traded volume rose to 24,867 lots of 25 tonnes each, compared to the usual 15,000 lots.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets fell on Tuesday as heavyweight banks came under selling pressure and concern about European debt problems fuelled more foreign outflows.

The pull-back, in falling volume, lopped another 0.7 percent off Indonesia's stock index <.JKSE> to its lowest in more than three months, while Thailand's benchmark <.SETI> was at a three-week low.

Singapore <.FTSTI> bucked the trend, ending up 0.4 percent. The index reversed early losses in brisk trade of 1.46 times its average 30-day volume, against 0.7 times for Thai stocks and 0.9 for Indonesia.

Among active stocks in Singapore, Chinese shipbuilder Yangzijiang rose 3.1 percent after Credit Suisse raised its target price to S$2.40 from S$2.20 and kept its "outperform" rating, saying it was well-placed among Chinese yards to benefit from a recovery in container ship orders.