Oil was mixed in Asian trade today as investors waited for the release of US existing homes sales data. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery dropped seven cents to 81.12 US Dollars a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for December delivery was three cents firmer at 79.54 US Dollars a barrel. Crude prices surged to a one-year high of USD 82 earlier this week, driven by optimism over the global economic recovery and a weak dollar.