DJI- NEW YORK, March 30 (Reuters) - World stock markets advanced on F riday, posting double-digit gains for the quarter, as economic reports showing U.S. consumer spending and sentiment still on the rise helped buoy stock prices and undercut the desire to hold bonds.
U.S. government debt prices fell, marking the end of a tumultuous first quarter for Treasuries, marked by their worst three-month period since the fourth quarter of 2010.
But stocks on Wall Street ended their strongest quarter in more than two years. Investors flocked to consumer-oriented shares after data showed U.S. consumer spending rose by the most in seven months in February and consumer confidence rebounded to its highest in more than a year in March.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 66.22 points, or 0.50 percent, to 13,212.04. The S&P 500 Index <.SPX> gained 5.19 points, or 0.37 percent, to 1,408.47. The Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> dipped 3.79 points, or 0.12 percent, to 3,091.57.
NYMEX- NEW YORK, March 30 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures edged up on Friday on ongoing concerns about Iran and supply disruptions, improved consumer sentiment and a weak dollar, as oil prices posted a 4.2 percent gain in the first quarter.
Crude futures' trading trajectory was choppy and prices jumped late in the session after the Obama administration said there is enough global oil supply to allow countries to cut imports from Iran.
U.S. President Barack Obama was required by law to determine by March 30, and every six months after that, whether the price and supply of non-Iranian oil are sufficient to allow consuming nations to "significantly" cut their purchases from Iran.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May cruderose 24 cents, or 0.23 percent, to settle at $103.02 a barrel, having traded from $102.78 to $104.15.
CBOT SOYBEANS- Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed higher after U.S. Department of Agriculture's U.S. 2012 soybean plantings figure came in below trade expectations.
Soymeal and soyoil also ended higher.
USDA reported U.S. 2012 planting intentions at 73.902 million acres, below a range of trade estimates for 74 million to 76.7 million.
USDA confirmed sales of 120,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans to unknown destinations for delivery in 2012/13.
ICE Canada canola futures surged about 2.4 percent and hit a 13-1/2-month high on Monday following the release of USDA's U.S. planting intentions figures.
Some U.S. analysts noted that the CBOT new-crop soybean/corn ratio has surged in favor of soybeans this month, a factor that could encourage more soybean acres in the coming months.
USDA reported U.S. March 1 soybean stocks at 1.372 billion bushels, roughly in line with the average trade estimate of 1.387 billion.
China, the world's top soy importer, is expected to import about 57 million tonnes of the oilseed in the year to Sept. 30, up 8.9 percent from the previous year, according to the latest estimate from official think-tank CNGOIC. The estimate is higher than USDA's forecast of 55 million tonnes.
FCPO- SINGAPORE, March 30 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures extended its losing streak into a third day on Friday, as traders grew cautious ahead of a key U.S. report on soybean plantings and stocks, although healthy demand for the edible oil
curbed losses.
Palm oil futures started the week strongly, going close to 3,500 ringgit on expectations of a shift in demand to the tropical oil as soybean supplies were tight in drought-hit South America.
But some gains were given up later on in the week as market players took profit ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's quarterly inventory report and planting forecast due later in the day.
Benchmark June palm oil futureson the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange lost 0.7 percent to close at 3,433 ringgit ($1,121) per tonne. This week the market went as high as 3,497 ringgit, a level unseen since March 10 2011.
Traded volumes stood at 21,018 lots of 25 tonnes each, compared to the usual 25,000 lots.
REGIONAL EQUITY- March 30 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets mostly gained on Friday to end the first quarter on a strong note, with Malaysian equities closing at a record high on strong foreign inflows and shares in Indonesia climbing to an eight-month top.
Despite volatility in the markets on concerns over slowing economic growth in China and the United States, the region witnessed strong foreign inflows for the week with Malaysia leading, followed by Indonesia.
Malaysia, the worst performing bourse in the region so far this year with a 4.29 percent return, saw 1,339.97 million ringgit ($436.83 million) in foreign inflows for this week.
Foreign investors in the past have been interested mostly in Malaysia's government securities, but now are turning their attention to equities, said Gerald Ambrose, managing director, at Aberdeen Asset Management in Malaysia.
U.S. government debt prices fell, marking the end of a tumultuous first quarter for Treasuries, marked by their worst three-month period since the fourth quarter of 2010.
But stocks on Wall Street ended their strongest quarter in more than two years. Investors flocked to consumer-oriented shares after data showed U.S. consumer spending rose by the most in seven months in February and consumer confidence rebounded to its highest in more than a year in March.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 66.22 points, or 0.50 percent, to 13,212.04. The S&P 500 Index <.SPX> gained 5.19 points, or 0.37 percent, to 1,408.47. The Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> dipped 3.79 points, or 0.12 percent, to 3,091.57.
NYMEX- NEW YORK, March 30 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures edged up on Friday on ongoing concerns about Iran and supply disruptions, improved consumer sentiment and a weak dollar, as oil prices posted a 4.2 percent gain in the first quarter.
Crude futures' trading trajectory was choppy and prices jumped late in the session after the Obama administration said there is enough global oil supply to allow countries to cut imports from Iran.
U.S. President Barack Obama was required by law to determine by March 30, and every six months after that, whether the price and supply of non-Iranian oil are sufficient to allow consuming nations to "significantly" cut their purchases from Iran.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May crude
CBOT SOYBEANS- Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed higher after U.S. Department of Agriculture's U.S. 2012 soybean plantings figure came in below trade expectations.
Soymeal and soyoil also ended higher.
USDA reported U.S. 2012 planting intentions at 73.902 million acres, below a range of trade estimates for 74 million to 76.7 million.
USDA confirmed sales of 120,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans to unknown destinations for delivery in 2012/13.
ICE Canada canola futures surged about 2.4 percent and hit a 13-1/2-month high on Monday following the release of USDA's U.S. planting intentions figures.
Some U.S. analysts noted that the CBOT new-crop soybean/corn ratio has surged in favor of soybeans this month, a factor that could encourage more soybean acres in the coming months.
USDA reported U.S. March 1 soybean stocks at 1.372 billion bushels, roughly in line with the average trade estimate of 1.387 billion.
China, the world's top soy importer, is expected to import about 57 million tonnes of the oilseed in the year to Sept. 30, up 8.9 percent from the previous year, according to the latest estimate from official think-tank CNGOIC. The estimate is higher than USDA's forecast of 55 million tonnes.
FCPO- SINGAPORE, March 30 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures extended its losing streak into a third day on Friday, as traders grew cautious ahead of a key U.S. report on soybean plantings and stocks, although healthy demand for the edible oil
curbed losses.
Palm oil futures started the week strongly, going close to 3,500 ringgit on expectations of a shift in demand to the tropical oil as soybean supplies were tight in drought-hit South America.
But some gains were given up later on in the week as market players took profit ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's quarterly inventory report and planting forecast due later in the day.
Benchmark June palm oil futures
Traded volumes stood at 21,018 lots of 25 tonnes each, compared to the usual 25,000 lots.
REGIONAL EQUITY- March 30 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets mostly gained on Friday to end the first quarter on a strong note, with Malaysian equities closing at a record high on strong foreign inflows and shares in Indonesia climbing to an eight-month top.
Despite volatility in the markets on concerns over slowing economic growth in China and the United States, the region witnessed strong foreign inflows for the week with Malaysia leading, followed by Indonesia.
Malaysia, the worst performing bourse in the region so far this year with a 4.29 percent return, saw 1,339.97 million ringgit ($436.83 million) in foreign inflows for this week.
Foreign investors in the past have been interested mostly in Malaysia's government securities, but now are turning their attention to equities, said Gerald Ambrose, managing director, at Aberdeen Asset Management in Malaysia.
