Shafaq News/ Oil prices were mixed on Tuesday after China posted its second-weakest annual economic growth in nearly half a century, though its recent shift in COVID-19 policy underpinned hopes of a recovery in fuel demand this year.

Basra's intermediate crude price to Asian markets rose $1.04, or 1.32%, to $81.78.

Brent crude futures rose 69 cents, or 0.8%, to $85.15 a barrel by 0913 GMT.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 7 cents, or 0.1%, at $79.79, heading for the first daily loss since Jan. 4 after touching its highest since Jan. 3.

China's gross domestic product expanded 3% in 2022, missing the official target of "around 5.5%" and marking the second-worst performance since 1976, hit by COVID curbs and a property market slump.

Reports by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Tuesday and the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Wednesday will shed more light on the strength of oil demand while recession fears loom.