Oil prices rose above $82 a barrel on Wednesday in Asia after a report showed U.S. crude inventories grew less than expected last week.

Asian stock markets pushed higher on Wednesday after the U.S. central bank again pledged to hold interest rates low and gave a mildly optimistic assessment of the world's largest economy.

Asian stock markets were mixed on Tuesday as investors held back ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest assessment of the world's largest economy.

Oil prices extended losses below $80 a barrel on Tuesday in Asia as investors eyed meetings of the U.S. central bank and OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) for trading catalysts.

World oil demand will rise in 2010 due to surging economic activity in Asian countries, especially China, the International Energy Agency said on Friday as it bumped up its forecasts.