http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/20/markets-energy-nymex-idUSN2027551120110520
Short-covering on news of al Qaeda plot lifts prices
* Dollar gains versus euro on negative Greece news
* Coming up: API stocks data, 4:30 p.m. EDT, Tuesday
NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures ended
higher on Friday as a flurry of short-covering caused prices to
rebound midday from early lows
- after news that al Qaeda had plotted last year to hijack or sink oil tankers to prompt.
<b>The al Qaeda's aim was to cause a rise in prices and
trigger an economic crisis in the West, U.S. officials said,
citing intelligence gathered from Osama bin Laden's compound in
Pakistan </b>
The officials added, however, that there was no indication
of any specific or imminent terrorist attack being plotted.
Before the midday bounce, prices had fallen more than $2 a
barrel, pressured by the strength of the dollar and on
liquidations ahead of the expiration of front-month June
contract CLM1 at the close.
Some analysts said the day's erratic price swings were
probably due to the illiquidity of the June contract and on
technical pressures.