The lead oil contract slipped 45 cents to $73.92 a barrel at 4 a.m. Eastern time. International stock markets were lower as well. See Europe Markets report. It had climbed as high as $74.81 on Monday. See Monday's Futures Movers. Over three months, oil futures have climbed nearly 20%. "Yesterday's price gains in crude although marginal in absolute terms could be interpreted as rather impressive given the strengthening in the U.S. dollar and a drop in the equity markets," said analysts at ODL Securities in London. "Robust sentiment on global economic recovery still provides strong support for the energy complex especially after both Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet talked about signs indicating the world economy has bottomed," they said. U.S. consumer confidence data and reaction to the reappointment of Bernanke as Fed chairman may drive oil prices on Tuesday, strategists said. "If today's release of U.S. consumer confidence data comes in above expectations as our economists expect, we should see further price gains," said Credit Suisse analysts.

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