01:45 PM EDT, 03/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks fell Tuesday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) both down 0.5%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index dropped 0.7%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index both declined 0.8%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil eased 0.1% to $81.86 a barrel, while the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.4% to $86.43 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 0.7% to $1.626 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Consol Energy ( CEIX ) shares tumbled 7.1% after the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a major commuter bridge in Baltimore, collapsed after being struck by a container ship. Consol's Baltimore Marine Terminal is used to load coal into large ocean-going ships in the area.

APA (APA) shares fell 3.7% as Goldman Sachs cuts its price target to $31 from $35 and kept its sell rating.

Exxon Mobil's (XOM) Australian commercial director warned of shrinking gas supply in the country and called for the government there to implement policies to facilitate new drilling programs and investment in the sector, according to media reports Tuesday. Exxon shares fell 0.3%.