03:47 PM EDT, 04/18/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks fell late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each shedding 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index rose 0.4%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index gained 0.5%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was fractionally up at $82.70 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent slid 0.3% to $87.05 per barrel.

US natural gas stocks rose by 50 billion cubic feet in the week ended April 12, below the 51 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:45 am ET and following an increase of 24 billion cubic in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 1.3% to $1.74 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Centuri ( CTRI ) shares jumped nearly 11% in their trading debut on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday after the Southwest Gas ( SWX ) subsidiary priced its initial public offering at the top of its marketed range. Southwest Gas ( SWX ) shares were down 0.4%.

Exelon ( EXC ) expects a 900% jump in power demand from data centers in the Chicago area, driven by artificial intelligence, Chief Executive Calvin Butler said in an interview with Bloomberg. Exelon ( EXC ) shares added 0.6%.

Marathon Oil ( MRO ) has performed better than the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production so far this year due to benefits from rising crude prices, UBS said in Q1 earnings preview. UBS reiterated its neutral rating on Marathon and kept the price target at $32. Marathon shares were shedding 0.8%.

Kinder Morgan ( KMI ) late Wednesday reported mixed Q1 results with revenue trailing market expectations and the pipeline operator opting to keep the full-year earnings outlook unchanged. Its shares gained 2.5%.