01:57 PM EDT, 08/28/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks rose Thursday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index gaining 0.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.5%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index fell 0.6%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index dropped 0.4%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil declined 0.9% to $63.57 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent crude contract lost 0.8% to $67.52 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 3.5% to $2.99 per 1 million BTU.

US natural gas stocks rose by 18 billion cubic feet in the week ended Friday, smaller than the 26 billion gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 13 billion in the previous week.

In corporate news, Phillips 66 (PSX) will begin winding down operations at its Los Angeles-area refinery in September as part of a planned permanent closure, Reuters reported. Phillips 66 shares were little changed.

Prairie Operating ( PROP ) shares gained 2.2% after the company completed two bolt-on acquisitions, adding 16,000 net acres of oil-weighted assets in the Denver-Julesburg Basin and significant new inventory, including permitted locations.

Venture Global's ( VG ) simultaneous commissioning and construction process at its projects is "more complex and well-planned" than the market understands, Deutsche Bank said, upgrading the stock to buy with a $17 price target. Venture Global ( VG ) shares fell 0.5%.