Palm | Kelapa Sawit

DJI-NEW YORK, Sept 9 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks plunged on Tuesday, driving the benchmark S&P 500 to its worst day in one and a half years, as concern about Lehman Brothers' ability to raise much-needed capital reignited fears about the broader financial sector.

Lehman's slide began on news that talks about a possible investment into Lehman from Korea Development Bank had broken down, and it continued after Standard & Poor's rating agency said it could cut the investment bank's credit rating.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 279.11 points, or 2.42 percent, at 11,231.63. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 43.15 points, or 3.40 percent, at 1,224.64. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 59.95 points, or 2.64 percent, at 2,209.81.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Sept 9 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures dropped to a new five-month low on Tuesday as Hurricane Ike shifted its path away from most oil production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico and OPEC appeared likely to leave output targets unchanged.

NYMEX October WTI futures were down $2.19 at $104.15 a barrel at 1:00 p.m. (1700 GMT) after trading as low as $103.46 a barrel.

CBOT-SOYBEANS - September up 14-1/2 cents at $12.09 per bushel, November up 9 cents at $12.01.

Boosted by some midday forecasts for a freeze late next week in the United States that could harm the soybean crop. Soy followed soymeal higher.

SOYOIL - September down 0.35 at 48.18 cents per lb.Falling crude oil weighs but gains in soy limit losses.

FCPO-JAKARTA, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures fell nearly 5 percent on Tuesday to the lowest level in more than a year, rattled by weaker crude oil and comments from leading industry analysts, dealers said.

The benchmark November crude palm oil contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange ended down 115 ringgit or 4.66 percent at 2,354 ringgit a tonne after trading as low as 2,346 ringgit a tonne, a level not seen since August 21, 2007.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-SINGAPORE, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian share markets retreated on Tuesday as optimism fizzled over the bailout of U.S.mortgage giants and sliding crude palm prices dragged down commodity stocks.

Indonesia slid 3.9 percent, weighed down by resources and banks, while Singapore dropped 0.9 percent, Malaysia shed 0.7 percent and Thailand 0.3 percent.