Oil higher in Asian trade, cross $81 per barrel

Oil was higher in Asian trade Friday as investors waited for the release of US existing homes sales data, analysts said.New York's main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery, rose 32 cents to 81.51 dollars a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for December delivery was 27 cents firmer at 79.78 dollars a barrel. Crude prices surged to a one-year high of 82 dollars earlier this week, driven by optimism over the global economic recovery and a weak dollar.Data due later Friday for US existing home sales in September is expected to show a rise in transactions last month, analysts said.