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A brief downturn below $50 per barrel has ended as demand worries push prices back up again.

Light crude prices rose to $50.79 per barrel, while Brent crude in London priced at $51.50 a barrel.

Asian demands for oil appear to be making an impact on prices. India and China continue to grow as oil consumers, though both countries are behind the US in terms of demand.

With a greater than expected increase in US stocks, consumers should start to see some relief at the gas pumps.

National prices fell about 4 cents per gallon as the US Department of Energy announced crude oil inventories were at about 327 million barrels..

Gas prices will still be higher than one year ago when the traditional summer driving season begins Memorial Day weekend.

"Retail gasoline prices are likely to fall during May," the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said. "While such a decline will be a welcome relief for gasoline consumers, the outlook remains mostly cloudy, as retail prices are still expected to remain well above last summer's level."

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.