03:25 PM EDT, 04/04/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were declining late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index down 0.1% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) shedding 0.2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index fell 1.1%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was down 0.4%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 1.2% to $86.48 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent was adding 1.5% to $90.69 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks declined by 37 billion cubic feet in the week ended March 29, a smaller drop than the 42 billion decrease expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg, and following a decrease of 36 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures slumped 3.5% to $1.78 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, FuelCell Energy ( FCEL ) shares rose 1% after it said Thursday that it has amended its joint development deal with ExxonMobil's (XOM) ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering unit. ExxonMobil was up fractionally.