NEW YORK, March 20 (Xinhua)-- Crude prices retreated on Friday as the U.S. dollar rebounded.

    Oil prices surged 7 percent on Thursday after the Fed announced its plan to buy long-term government debt and the dollar tumbled in value. The dollar rebounded against the euro on Friday.

    Bank of America Securities-Merrill Lynch raised its 2009 oil price forecast to 52 dollars a barrel from 50 dollars as supplies could tighten in the second half of this year.

    Light, sweet crude for April delivery fell 55 cents to settle at 51.06 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The May contract rose 3 cents to settle at 52.07 dollars.

    In London, Brent prices rose 55 cents to settle at 51.22 dollars on the ICE Futures exchange.