NEW YORK, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices declined on Thursday.

       The West Texas Intermediate for February delivery dropped 33 cents, or 0.44 percent, to settle at 73.89 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for February delivery lost 31 cents, or 0.39 percent, to settle at 79.39 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.