DJI- NEW YORK, Feb 14 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks erased losses to end little changed on Tuesday after a Greek government source said the conservative party leader was expected to deliver a letter of commitment to the country's international lenders.
A sign of Greece's commitment to the tough austerity measures demanded by euro zone leaders was a catalyst for buyers to jump into the stock market late in the session.
Euro zone finance ministers are due to hold a telephone conference call on Wednesday about a 130 billion euros bailout to avert a chaotic Greek default.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 4.24 points, or 0.03 percent, to 12,878.28. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dropped 1.27 points, or 0.09 percent, to 1,350.50. The Nasdaq Composite Index edged up 0.44 points, or 0.02 percent, to 2,931.83.
NYMEX- NEW YORK, Feb 14 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell on Tuesday on weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales for January, Greek debt worries and concerns about Europe's economy after Moody's warned it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, Britain and Austria.
Losses were limited by news that a Canadian oilsands processing plant that sends output to the U.S. Midwest would be shut longer than initially thought. Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East also lent underlying support.
In post-settlement trading, NYMEX crude futures shifted slightly higher. But after weekly inventory data from the American Petroleum Institute showed that domestic crude stocks rose more than forecast, prices dipped to negative territory before heading to just above flat.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for March deliverysettled at $100.74 a barrel, dipping 17 cents,or 0.17 percent, after trading between $100.28 to $101.84.
CBOT SOYBEANS- Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade rose for a third straight session, nearing a four-month high on dry weather stressing crops in southern Brazil and signs of fresh U.S. export demand, traders said.
March soybeansreached a peak of $12.61-3/4, the highest spot price on the continuous chart since Oct. 17, 2011.
Market shrugs off pressure from a rally in the dollar and declines on Wall Street as disappointing January U.S. retail sales data curbed investors' appetite for risky assets.
USDA confirmed sales of 283,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans to unknown destinations, including 215,000 for 2011/12 delivery and 68,000 for 2012/13. The report followed sales of 120,000 tonnes of U.S. soy to unknown destinations announced on Monday.
FCPO- SINGAPORE, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures rose to more-than-a-month high on Tuesday, tracking a rally in U.S. soybeans on investor concern that hot, dry weather in South America could hurt production.
A weaker ringgit currency against the U.S. dollar also raised demand prospects for crude palm oil as the ringgit-priced feedstock now seems cheaper, helping the vegetable oil erase earlier losses to trade marginally higher this year.
"External factors are still uncertain and we will have to look at export numbers to see if the market will breach 3,200 ringgit," said a trader with a foreign commodities brokerage in Kuala Lumpur, referring to Malaysian export data for Feb. 1-15 which will be released on Wednesday.
Benchmark April palm oil futureson the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange settled up 1.2 percent to 3,205 ringgit ($1,053), a level last seen on Jan. 12. Traded volumes stood at 25,490 lots of 25 tonnes each, slightly higher than the usual 25,000 lots.
REGIONAL EQUITY- Feb 14 (Reuters) - Stocks in Singapore and Malaysia inched up while Indonesian and Philippine shares retreated on Tuesday as market players took profits amid concerns about the sovereign debt crisis in Europe.
Investors in the region were cautious after Moody's warned it could downgrade top-rated sovereigns including Britain, reminding investors that Europe is still deeply mired in a debt crisis despite Athens' steps to avoid a disorderly default.
Blue chips that had led recent gains across the region such as Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, Thai Oil Pcl and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co were among the stocks that fell on Tuesday.
A sign of Greece's commitment to the tough austerity measures demanded by euro zone leaders was a catalyst for buyers to jump into the stock market late in the session.
Euro zone finance ministers are due to hold a telephone conference call on Wednesday about a 130 billion euros bailout to avert a chaotic Greek default.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 4.24 points, or 0.03 percent, to 12,878.28. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dropped 1.27 points, or 0.09 percent, to 1,350.50. The Nasdaq Composite Index edged up 0.44 points, or 0.02 percent, to 2,931.83.
NYMEX- NEW YORK, Feb 14 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell on Tuesday on weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales for January, Greek debt worries and concerns about Europe's economy after Moody's warned it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, Britain and Austria.
Losses were limited by news that a Canadian oilsands processing plant that sends output to the U.S. Midwest would be shut longer than initially thought. Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East also lent underlying support.
In post-settlement trading, NYMEX crude futures shifted slightly higher. But after weekly inventory data from the American Petroleum Institute showed that domestic crude stocks rose more than forecast, prices dipped to negative territory before heading to just above flat.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for March delivery
CBOT SOYBEANS- Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade rose for a third straight session, nearing a four-month high on dry weather stressing crops in southern Brazil and signs of fresh U.S. export demand, traders said.
March soybeans
Market shrugs off pressure from a rally in the dollar and declines on Wall Street as disappointing January U.S. retail sales data curbed investors' appetite for risky assets.
USDA confirmed sales of 283,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans to unknown destinations, including 215,000 for 2011/12 delivery and 68,000 for 2012/13. The report followed sales of 120,000 tonnes of U.S. soy to unknown destinations announced on Monday.
FCPO- SINGAPORE, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures rose to more-than-a-month high on Tuesday, tracking a rally in U.S. soybeans on investor concern that hot, dry weather in South America could hurt production.
A weaker ringgit currency against the U.S. dollar also raised demand prospects for crude palm oil as the ringgit-priced feedstock now seems cheaper, helping the vegetable oil erase earlier losses to trade marginally higher this year.
"External factors are still uncertain and we will have to look at export numbers to see if the market will breach 3,200 ringgit," said a trader with a foreign commodities brokerage in Kuala Lumpur, referring to Malaysian export data for Feb. 1-15 which will be released on Wednesday.
Benchmark April palm oil futures
REGIONAL EQUITY- Feb 14 (Reuters) - Stocks in Singapore and Malaysia inched up while Indonesian and Philippine shares retreated on Tuesday as market players took profits amid concerns about the sovereign debt crisis in Europe.
Investors in the region were cautious after Moody's warned it could downgrade top-rated sovereigns including Britain, reminding investors that Europe is still deeply mired in a debt crisis despite Athens' steps to avoid a disorderly default.
Blue chips that had led recent gains across the region such as Singapore Telecommunications Ltd
