Palm | Kelapa Sawit

DJI - NEW YORK, Feb 17 - The accelerating global economic downturn unnerved world markets on Tuesday, sending U.S. stocks to their lowest point since November's bear market lows and driving the price of gold to a seven-month high.

Deepening concerns about worldwide economic growth and the global banking system, in particular, sent investors scurrying to the relative safety of gold and government debt.

The Dow Jones industrial average closedddown 297.81 points, or 3.79 percent, at 7,552.60. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 37.67 points, or 4.56 percent, at 789.17. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 63.70 points, or 4.15 percent, at 1,470.66.

NYMEX - NEW YORK, Feb 17 - U.S. crude futures tumbled on Tuesday, ceding most of Friday's gains as demand worries amid a recession-hit economy again weighed on oil prices.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, March crudesettled down $2.58, or 6.88 percent, at $34.93 a barrel, trading from $34.45 to $38.49. The March crude contract's lifetime low is $33.55. The contract expires on Friday.

CBOT - SOYBEANS - March down 52-1/2 cents at $9.03 a bushel. Hit by falling stock markets and crude oil and gains in the dollar. Forecasts for Argentina to see more rain late this week also bearish.

CBOT - SOYOIL - March down 1.85 cents at 31.15 cents per lb. Pressured by lower crude oil, falling stock markets and declines in soy futures.

FCPO - JAKARTA, Feb 17 - Malaysian crude palm futures dropped for the second day in a row on Tuesday, to finish at a one-week low amid concerns over weaker exports, traders said.

"I think the market is expecting the end stocks this month could rebuild above the January figure because of slow exports, unless production drop sharply," a trader at a Malaysian commodities brokerage said.

The benchmark May contract fell 27 ringgit, or 1.4 percent, to 1,895 ringgit ($521) per tonne, the lowest level since February 10.

REGIONAL EQUITIES - BANGKOK, Feb 17 - Southeast Asian stock markets slumped on Tuesday as dismal Japanese growth data and concern about the financial sector fanned worries about the global economy.

Singapore's Straits Times Index extended recent falls to close down 2.55 percent after hitting its lowest level since Nov. 24. It was also weighed down by a record slump in Singapore's non-oil exports in January.

Thailand fell nearly 2 percent, while Indonesia dropped 1.8 percent, ending a three-day winning streak.