Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Jan 21 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Friday after two days of declines as strong earnings General Electric and Google boosted investor optimism.

General Electric Co was the top gainer on the Dow index, up 4.5 percent at $19.28. The world's biggest maker of electric turbines and jet engines, reported
better-than-expected earnings, helped by the recovery of its finance arm and a rise in revenue at its industrial units, including a sharp pickup in sales of locomotives.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 53.81 points, or 0.46 percent, at 11,876.61. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 6.78 points, or 0.53 percent, at 1,287.04. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 10.90 points, or 0.40 percent, at 2,715.19.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Jan 21 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell for the fourth straight day on Friday, ending the week more than 2 percent weaker as rising domestic stockpiles weighed.

U.S. crude losses deepened as investors continued to factor government inventory data on Thursday which showed domestic inventories rose last week, after an unbroken stretch of drawdowns in the previous six weeks.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for March delivery settled down 48 cents, or 0.54 percent, at $89.11 a barrel, after trading from $88.87 to $90.22.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy complex futures close on Friday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March down 2 cents at $14.12-1/4 per bushel. New-crop November up 6-1/2 at $13.48-1/4. Pressure on nearby months from improved crop weather in Argentina but underpinned by big exports of U.S. soy and a weak dollar. Deferred months lifted by bullish soy acreage outlook for 2011 U.S. crop by Informa Economics.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March up 0.30 cent at 57.56 cents per lb. Oil/meal spreading lifted soyoil. Funds bought an estimated net 3,000 contracts.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures rose to a near two-week high on Friday, as traders cited strong export data amid concern that supplies will struggle to keep pace with robust demand.

The market was on course to post its first weekly gain for the year as traders shifted their focus to bullish fundamentals after booking profits from Jan. 5 onwards due to the stronger U.S. dollar, some concerns of demand slowing and a technical correction.

The benchmark April 2011 crude palm oil contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives rose 0.5 percent to 3,748 ringgit a tonne at the close. It earlier peaked at 3,797 ringgit, the highest level since Jan. 10. Overall, traded volume stood at 11,930 lots of 25 tonnes each, compared with a total of 13,739 lots on Wednesday.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-JAKARTA, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets fell on Friday, with Indonesia and Philippines dipping more than 10 percent off historical highs at one point as disappointing U.S earnings and fears of further monetary tightening in China turned sentiment sour.

Malaysia's KLCI Index <.KLSE> slid 1.22 percent, the biggest one-day drop in more than eight months, while the main indexes in Indonesia <.JKSE> and the Philippines <.PSI> dropped more than 10 percent.