Trader's Highlight

DJI-NEW YORK, Feb 17 (Reuters) - U.S. investors piled on a dizzying two-year advance in stocks on Thursday, using a brief slip on negative economic news as an opportunity to buy into market leaders.

The technology sector showed strength, with Nvidia Corp up 9.8 percent to $25.68 a day after posting a bullish revenue forecast on accelerating sales of its processors.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 29.97 points, or 0.24 percent, to 12,318.14. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 4.11 points, or 0.31 percent, to 1,340.43. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 6.02 points, or 0.21 percent, to 2,831.58.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Feb 17 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures rose
for a second day on Thursday as fears grew that escalating citizen protests could engulf oil producers in the Middle East and cause supply disruptions.

Unrest spread across the Middle East and North Africa as Bahrain's military cracked down on anti-government protestors and clashes were reported in Libya and Yemen.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for March delivery settled up $1.37, or 1.61 percent, at $86.36 a barrel, after trading from $84.38 to $86.50.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy complex close on Thursday.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - March up 38-1/2 cents at $14.04-1/2 per bushel. Snaps five-day losing streak on China import tax news, technical short covering. Prices rally back above 50-day moving average.

CBOT-SOYOIL - March up 1.64 cents at 58.25 cents per lb. Following soybeans. Firm crude oil also supports soyoil prices.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures dropped to a fresh three-week low Thursday as traders grew concerned that a possible cut in taxes for a range of imported goods by China may not benefit the vegetable oil.

The benchmark May 2011 crude palm oil contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives fell 0.5 percent to 3,725 Malaysian ringgit ($1,223) a tonne after going as low as 3,648 ringgit -- a level unseen since Jan. 26.

Malaysian and Singaporean traders dealing with China say Beijing may reduce import duties for soybean oil to 5 percent from 9 percent and cut soybean import taxes to 1 percent from 3 percent while keeping palm oil duties at 9 percent.

Cutting soy import duties will set the stage for more orders of the oilseed and limit palm oil shipments to the world's largest food shopper.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets gained on Thursday as high global oil prices lifted energy-related stocks, but concerns over tighter monetary policy squeezed Singapore's banks.

Several beaten-down markets, including Thailand and Indonesia, saw a return of foreign funds after recent sell-offs, sending Thai SET index <.SETI> to its highest in almost four weeks and Indonesia <.JKSE> to near a one-week high.

A shift in global asset allocation has funneled money in recent weeks to developed equities markets, drawn by relatively attractive valuations. But dealers said investors were starting to find good value again in Southeast Asia.

Turnover of Singapore was relatively active of 1.2 times its 30-day average. Singapore shares pulled back amid concerns about rising interest rates hurting bank stocks.

Singapore earlier on Thursday revised downward its GDP growth for 2010 and warned that inflation will be higher than previously forecast, raising expectations of further monetary policy tightening.