01:31 PM EDT, 03/15/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each up 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was increasing 0.4% and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was 0.3% lower.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was declining 0.4% to $80.93 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was 0.3% lower at $85.17 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures slumped 4.9% to $1.66 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Altus Power ( AMPS ) shares sank 25% after it reported overnight a wider Q4 loss than analysts were expecting and revenue also lagged the consensus estimate.