•Global crude futures were rangebound Tuesday morning in light trading as a public holiday across most of Europe reduced volumes, brokers said. Despite news of further kidnappings in Nigeria, prices were little changed. "There have been some headlines but little has happened. Volumes are lower and there are definitely fewer traders online today due to the European holiday," a London-based broker said.

•As many as six foreign oil workers were kidnapped Tuesday by unidentified gunmen in an attack on an oil facility in the Bayelsa State, a government official said. "There was an attack on a Chevron platform. We understand five or six expatriate workers have been kidnapped," the secretary to the Bayelsa state government, Godknows Igali, said.

•Late Monday, the last day of April, crude prices plunged around $1/barrel, which confused some of the industry. "People are a bit unsure why prices fell so much late in the day. It doesn't look like it had much to do the NYMEX product expirations but was more representative of moves by hedge funds at the end of April, which they sometimes do," a broker said.

Updated: May 1, 2007