NEW YORK, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Crude prices rose slightly on Friday as U.S. consumer confidence rebounded.

    A survey showed Friday that U.S. consumer confidence rebounded in April to the highest levels since September.

    Citibank, GE quarterly earnings also support the oil prices after the two companies reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter of 2009.

    Light, sweet crude for May delivery on Friday rose 35 cents to settle at 50.33 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

    In London, Brent prices gained 44 cents to 53.50 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

    Oil prices have been swung around 50 dollars a barrel after the U.S. government said this week that U.S. storage facilities were bloated with the biggest surplus in nearly 19 years.