Palm | Kelapa Sawit

DJI-NEW YORK, Sept 27 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Monday following four weeks of gains, but investors believe there is still upside as one of the best months for stocks in 20 years winds down.

The market declined despite a flurry of acquisitions, which normally signal that companies are seeing value in the market.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was off 1.56 points, or 0.01 percent, at 10,858.70. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> fell 1.35 points, or 0.12 percent, to 1,147.32. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> lost 1.94 points, or 0.08 percent, to 2,379.27.

NYMEX-NEW YORK, Sept 27 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures recovered from sharp losses to end marginally higher on Monday, tracking Wall Street where major indexes at first dipped, turned higher, then traded little changed in late dealings.

Analysts said there is still hope for the upside as one of the best months in 20 years winds down for U.S. equities, an alternative indicator for economic trends and hence for oil demand.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for November delivery settled up 3 cents, or 0.04 percent, at $76.52 a barrel, after trading as low as $75.52. It rose as high as $77.17.

CBOT-CHICAGO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - CBOT grain and soy complex close on Monday:

CBOT-SOYBEANS - November up 2-1/2 cents at $11.28-1/2 a bushel. Market supported by dry weather in South America and talk China bought two cargoes of U.S. soy. Soy/corn spreading also supportive as soy turned cheap relative to corn late last week.

CBOT-SOYOIL - October up 0.10 cent per lb at 44.58 cents per lb. Firmer on strength in global vegoils markets; gaining against soymeal on oil/meal spreads.

FCPO-JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil hit its highest level since May 2009 and other global vegetable oil markets rallied on Monday as traders bet on top buyers China and India snapping up more cargoes in the months to come.

An industry conference in Mumbai forecast that India will buy a record amount of vegetable oil in the new marketing year and China's Ministry of Commerce revised up its estimate for September soy imports.

The hunger for vegetable oils and grains has been fuelled by a weaker U.S. dollar and concerns that erratic weather across the globe will curb production of soybeans in the Americas and China as well as Canadian canola.

Malaysian palm oil rose 1.26 percent to close at 2,735 ringgit ($885) a tonne, after hitting the highest level since May 2009 by the midday break.

REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The Indonesian and Philippine stock markets hit record highs on Monday and Thai stocks marked a 14-year high as positive sentiment from Wall Street boosted appetite for Southeast Asian equities.

The region's relatively strong economic performance continued to lure foreign investors. Indonesia has recorded $1.39 billion of foreign buying so far in the third quarter, three times higher than the previous quarter, Thomson Reuters data showed.

Thailand's SET index <.SETI> and the Philippines index <.PSI> both gained 1.1 percent on the day. Singapore <.FTSTI> rose 0.7 percent to a 27-month high and Malaysia <.KLSE> added almost 1 percent but was below a 32-month high.

In Singapore, property and financials rose, with Hongkong Land up 3.2 percent and City Developments up 2.8 percent. DBS , Southeast Asia's biggest lender, rose 1 percent.