DJI- NEW YORK, March 21 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks mostly fell on Wednesday, weighed by the energy services sector, but gains in technology shares buoyed the Nasdaq and helped keep the S&P 500 near four-year highs.
The benchmark S&P 500 index, up 11.6 percent so far this quarter, found buyers at the 1,400 level, which has been held for five straight days. Support at that level suggests more gains in coming weeks.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> fell 45.57 points, or 0.35 percent, to 13,124.62 at the close. The S&P 500 Index <.INX> dipped 2.63 points, or 0.19 percent, to 1,402.89. The Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> edged up 1.17 points, or 0.04 percent, to 3,075.32.
NYMEX- NEW YORK, March 21 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures ended up more than 1 percent on Wednesday, recovering from the previous day's sharp losses, after government data showed a surprise drawdown in domestic oil stockpiles last week.
Tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear program continued to be supportive.
With trading choppy, turnover dropped 37 percent from U.S. crude's 30-day average, Reuters data showed.
Investors remained cautious in the wake of Saudi Arabia's pledge on Tuesday -- the cause of the sharp loss that day -- that it would meet any supply shortfall, amid market fears of disruption in Iranian oil flow.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May crude, the new front month, settled at $107.27 a barrel, gaining $1.20, or 1.13 percent. It traded from $106.06 to $107.64.
CBOT SOYBEANS- Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade ended about 1 percent higher, rallying from a two-day sell-off on talk of Chinese demand and worries that U.S. farmers might not plant enough soybeans this spring to meet global needs.
Soybeans supported by rumors that China bought two cargoes of U.S. soybeans.
China, the world's top soy buyer, will import 29 million tonnes of soy in the first half of the year, a quarter more than the same period last year, due to demand from animal feed producers - Chinese think tank CNGOIC.
FCPO-SINGAPORE, March 21 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures rebounded slightly on Wednesday, as an upbeat demand outlook for the edible oil offset earlier losses on the back of lower crude oil that was weighed by Saudi Arabia's supply pledge.
Palm oil hit a 9-month high of 3,418 ringgit last week, and the rally appeared to be losing some steam after two straight days of losses this week.
But Malaysian export numbers helped snap the losing trend, and futures are trading 6.1 percent higher this year.
"Some market players are buying on export optimism, and the upcoming export figure may reflect stronger demand," said a dealer with a foreign brokerage in Malaysia.
Benchmark June palm oil futureson the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange edged up 0.1 percent to close at 3,368 ringgit ($1,096) per tonne.
Traded volumes stood at 19,259 lots of 25 tonnes each, thinner than the usual 25,000 lots.
REGIONAL EQUITY- BANGKOK, March 21 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stocks ended mostly higher, buoyed by buying in late trade, while profit-booking across markets limited gains and pulled the Philippine index into negative territory for a third day.
The benchmark S&P 500 index, up 11.6 percent so far this quarter, found buyers at the 1,400 level, which has been held for five straight days. Support at that level suggests more gains in coming weeks.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> fell 45.57 points, or 0.35 percent, to 13,124.62 at the close. The S&P 500 Index <.INX> dipped 2.63 points, or 0.19 percent, to 1,402.89. The Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> edged up 1.17 points, or 0.04 percent, to 3,075.32.
NYMEX- NEW YORK, March 21 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures ended up more than 1 percent on Wednesday, recovering from the previous day's sharp losses, after government data showed a surprise drawdown in domestic oil stockpiles last week.
Tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear program continued to be supportive.
With trading choppy, turnover dropped 37 percent from U.S. crude's 30-day average, Reuters data showed.
Investors remained cautious in the wake of Saudi Arabia's pledge on Tuesday -- the cause of the sharp loss that day -- that it would meet any supply shortfall, amid market fears of disruption in Iranian oil flow.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May crude
CBOT SOYBEANS- Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade ended about 1 percent higher, rallying from a two-day sell-off on talk of Chinese demand and worries that U.S. farmers might not plant enough soybeans this spring to meet global needs.
Soybeans supported by rumors that China bought two cargoes of U.S. soybeans.
China, the world's top soy buyer, will import 29 million tonnes of soy in the first half of the year, a quarter more than the same period last year, due to demand from animal feed producers - Chinese think tank CNGOIC.
FCPO-SINGAPORE, March 21 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures rebounded slightly on Wednesday, as an upbeat demand outlook for the edible oil offset earlier losses on the back of lower crude oil that was weighed by Saudi Arabia's supply pledge.
Palm oil hit a 9-month high of 3,418 ringgit last week, and the rally appeared to be losing some steam after two straight days of losses this week.
But Malaysian export numbers helped snap the losing trend, and futures are trading 6.1 percent higher this year.
"Some market players are buying on export optimism, and the upcoming export figure may reflect stronger demand," said a dealer with a foreign brokerage in Malaysia.
Benchmark June palm oil futures
Traded volumes stood at 19,259 lots of 25 tonnes each, thinner than the usual 25,000 lots.
REGIONAL EQUITY- BANGKOK, March 21 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stocks ended mostly higher, buoyed by buying in late trade, while profit-booking across markets limited gains and pulled the Philippine index into negative territory for a third day.
