Oil futures finished with a loss on Thursday, pulling back from their highest levels in nearly 3 1/2 years, as traders weighed comments from major oil producers ahead of a meeting in Saudi Arabia. James Williams, energy economist at WTRG Economics, attributed the late-session turn lower in U.S. benchmark crude prices to "profit taking" following Wednesday rise, amid uncertainty about the outcome of the joint ministerial meeting scheduled for Friday. Reuters reported that the joint panel sees the global oil supply glut as virtually eliminated, citing two sources familiar with the matter. May West Texas Intermediate crude fell 18 cents, or 0.3%, to settle at $68.29 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.