01:38 PM EDT, 04/08/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each decreasing about 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was down 0.3%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index was adding 0.6%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was declining 0.8% to $86.22 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was dropping 1.1% to $90.19 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures jumped 3.3% to $1.84 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Sasol ( SSL ) rose 7.5% after it said Monday that South Africa's minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment has upheld its appeal over sulfur dioxide emission regulation involving steam plants at its Secunda Operations.