Oil futures climbed Thursday as traders awaited a decision from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies on whether to ease production curbs as they gauge the strength of the global economy.

All eyes are on OPEC, as the group as known. Members must decide whether to stick with a plan that would see existing output curbs relaxed by 500,000 barrels a day next month. Also, Saudi Arabia has yet to decide whether to extend a unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels a day in April.

Crude rallied Wednesday after Reuters reported that OPEC would consider rolling over existing curbs through April. Bloomberg, however, reported that Russia was leading a charge to reopen the taps, leaving the group on track to return up to 1.5 million barrels a day to production next month.

Market participants know that Saudi Arabia likes to use the element of surprise in the OPEC meetings to get the market moving higher, said Rebecca Babin, senior equity trader at CIBC Private Wealth, U.S.

Estimates for how much production will be brought back on line in April has been ratcheting lower this week amid whispers that Saudi Arabia my decide to bring fewer barrels back to the market, she told MarketWatch. Current estimates are for 1 million barrels to be brought back online in April, down from the 1.5 million barrel base case estimates to start the week.

West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery rose 95 cents, or 1.6, to 62.23 a barrel on the New York…