By Mark Shenk Sept. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil fluctuated as an unexpected jump in pending home sales tempered concern the economic rebound will stall. Oil rebounded from the day’s lows after the National Association of Realtors said that the number of contracts to purchase previously owned houses in the U.S. rose 5.2 percent in July. A 1 percent decline was projected, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists. Crude oil for October delivery rose 2 cents to $73.93 a barrel at 10:52 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures dropped as much as 80 cents, or 1.1 percent, prior to release of the real estate report at 10:00 a.m. in Washington. Brent crude oil for October settlement lost 37 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $75.98 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe Exchange. To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Shenk in New York at mshenk1@bloomberg.net

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