02:06 PM EDT, 03/25/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were mixed Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index increasing 0.1% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) shedding 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index added 0.6%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index rose 1%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 1.8% to $90.65 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was dropping 2.5% to $101.89 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 0.5% to $2.96 per 1 million BTU.

US crude oil stocks, including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, rose by 6.9 million barrels in the week ended March 20 following an increase of 6.2 million barrels in the previous week. Excluding inventories in the SPR, commercial crude oil stocks increased by 6.9 million barrels after a 6.2 million barrel increase in the previous week, a larger gain than the 1.3-million-barrel decrease expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

In corporate news, Valero Energy ( VLO ) is looking to restart its Port Arthur oil refinery in Texas this week after it was shut down on Tuesday due to an explosion, Reuters reported Wednesday. Valero shares fell 2.6%.

Chevron ( CVX ) may stop refining oil in California unless taxes and regulations are eased, Bloomberg reported. Chevron ( CVX ) shares were down 0.7%.

Energy Fuels ( UUUU ) shares climbed 3% after it said Wednesday it has produced its first kilogram of high-purity terbium oxide at its White Mesa Mill in Utah.

Ecopetrol's ( EC ) board said Wednesday that there have been no violations of company regulations, nor breaches of any contracts or credit agreements to date, with regards to the allegations against company president Ricardo Roa of influence peddling by a public servant. Ecopetrol ( EC ) shares were up 0.9%.