OPEC's meeting in Abuja, Nigeria was the main focus Thursday as traders awaited a decision on production from the cartel. The market has speculated for the past week that OPEC would agree to its second output cut in as many months as it strives to keep oil prices close to $60 a barrel in the face of high inventories.

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On the data front, an unexpected rise in November import prices, which prompted a rise in bond yields, offset a fall in weekly jobless claims.

S&P 500 futures were down 0.60 at 1,426.00, while Nasdaq 100 futures erased earlier losses to trade up 2.50 points at 1,809.50. Dow industrials futures dipped 13 points to 12,410.

U.S. stocks ended slightly higher Thursday, as rising crude prices tempered a positive market reaction to stronger-than-expected November retail-sales data.

The Dow industrials closed up 1.92 points at 12,317.50 after hitting another all-time high of 12,368 during the session.

Investors will be paying close attention to a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

The markets have been widely expecting a production cut, and delegates at the meeting have said that the organization has a pact to cut output by 0.5 million barrels a day from Feb. 1, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

Some analysts however, have suggested production could be left unchanged after U.S. data Wednesday showed a hefty decline in crude supplies.

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