03:30 PM EDT, 04/25/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index adding 0.8% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) up 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index rose 0.2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index gained 0.3%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.1% to $83.72 a barrel, while the global benchmark Brent crude contract rose 1.3% to $89.13 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks rose by 92 billion cubic feet in the week ended April 19, above the 83 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 50 billion in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 2.5% to $1.61 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Petrobras (PBR) shareholders Thursday approved the proposal of additional dividends for fiscal 2023 of about 36.14 billion Brazilian reais, or 2.80 reais per share, which after accounting for monetary adjustment from Dec. 31 becomes 2.89 reais per share ($0.56). Petrobras shares gained 2.1%.