03:22 PM EDT, 04/16/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were decreasing late Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index shedding 0.5% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) down 0.6%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index fell 1%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index dropped 1.2%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.1% at $85.45 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent was slightly higher at $90.12 a barrel. Henry Hub natural-gas futures spiked 2.1% to $1.73 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Duke Energy's ( DUK ) goals to reduce carbon emissions are challenged by the huge increase in electricity demand from manufacturing and developing artificial intelligence projects, Chief Executive Lynn Good said Tuesday. Duke shares were falling 1%.