Oil futures were mixed in Asian hours on Tuesday as prices were supported by a series of positive economic data, although profit-taking eroded gains in Brent crude oil prices. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in January traded at $94.02 a barrel at 0556 GMT, up $0.20 in the Globex electronic session. January Brent crude on London's ICE Futures exchange fell $0.04 to $111.41 a barrel, after rising to a three-month high of $112.34/bbl overnight. Overall, market participants were encouraged by signs of economic growth in the U.S., China and the U.K., which all recorded multi-year highs in surveys released Monday by private-sector companies. "The robust data is a strong sign the global economy is improving and bodes well for further increases in energy markets," said ANZ Research in a note. Kaname Gokon, a general manager at Tokyo-based brokerage, Okato Shoji Co's research section, said spot demand in Europe will keep Brent prices in the $110-$115/bbl range for the rest of the year as gasoline stockpiles are low amid the winter holiday season. Mr. Gokon is less bullish on Nymex crude, tipping trade in the $93-$95/bbl range with further gains limited as high inventories in the U.S. weigh on prices. The National Australia Bank said in a note, however, that Nymex crude is likely oversold and may gain in the months ahead due to winter demand from the northern hemisphere. This will narrow the Brent-Nymex differential from around $19/bbl currently to below $10/bbl in the medium term, analysts Vyanne Lai and Rob Brooker said in the note. Nymex reformulated gasoline blendstock for January--the benchmark gasoline contract--rose 11 points to $2.6795 a gallon, while January heating oil traded at $3.0501, unchanged. ICE gasoil for December changed hands at $944.75 a metric ton, up $2.00 from Monday's settlement.

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