Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended solidly higher on Wednesday after European debt fears eased and sparked a broad advance, led by banks and commodity-related shares.

Investors expect further flows into equities on speculation the economy will strengthen. About seven stocks rose for every three that fell on the New York Stock Exchange.

Sectors typically helped by rising inflation, including agricultural and energy, were strong. Seed company Monsanto Co rose 3.3 percent to $74.92 while Exxon Mobil Corp gained 1.2 percent to $76.58.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 83.48 points, or 0.72 percent, at 11,755.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 11.47 points, or 0.90 percent, at 1,285.95. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 20.50 points, or 0.75 percent, at 2,737.33.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures prices rose on Wednesday and settled at a 27-month peak above $91 a barrel as recent production disruptions, falling crude inventories and expectations for demand growth provided lift that also boosted Brent crude futures to near $99 a barrel.

In London, ICE Brent crude for February delivery finished up 51 cents, or 0.52 percent, at $98.12 a barrel, the highest close since Sept. 30, 2008, when prices settled at $98.17. The February Brent contract expires on Friday.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, February crude rose 75 cents, or 0.82 percent, to settle at $91.86 a barrel, the highest settlement since Oct. 3, 2008, when crude settled at $93.88.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy complex close on Wednesday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March up 58 cents per bushel at $14.15. Funds bought an estimated net 10,000 contracts. Supportive data in USDA's supply/demand and quarterly stocks reports.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March up 1.26 cents per lb at 57.43. Funds bought an estimated net 4,000 contracts.

FCPO-KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Malaysia palm oil tumbled to a three-week on Wednesday on a technical correction ahead of a key U.S. crop report that is likely to show tighter supplies.

Palm oil rallied to a 33-month high last week on concerns that heavy rains in palm oil-producing Southeast Asian and a dry spell in soyoil-exporting South America will curb vegetable oil output.

But traders now feel the rally might have been overdone after Malaysian palm data showed a lower than expected decline in stocks and the Brazilian soy crop may not be as badly affected as the crop in Argentina.

Benchmark March 2011 palm oil contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives fell as much as 2.1 percent to 3,625 Malaysian ringgit ($1,180), a level unseen since Dec. 22. The contract later settled at 3,650 ringgit. Overall traded volume shot up to 25,042 lot of 25 tonnes each, compared to the usual 15,000 lots.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stocks rose on Wednesday, with battered Indonesian shares gaining some lost ground and others posting smaller gains amid euro zone debt uncertainty.

Early selling in the bull markets of Southeast Asia this year has put several among Asia's underperforming bourses, including Indonesia <.JKSE>. Thailand <.SETI> and the Philippines <.PSI>.

The darling of emerging market investors had surged almost three-fold over the past two years and set a fresh record high just last week. Malaysia <.KLSE> and the Philippines, which scaled record highs late last year, are struggling to recover.