03:28 PM EDT, 05/02/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks rose in late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index adding 1.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) increasing 0.9%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 1.9%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was up 0.7%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 0.2% to $79.13 a barrel, while the global benchmark Brent crude contract increased 0.4% to $83.79 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks climbed 59 billion cubic feet in the week ended April 26, topping the 58 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET and following the gain of 92 billion cubic in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures spiked 5.6% to $2.04 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Peabody Energy ( BTU ) reported Q1 earnings Thursday of $0.29 per diluted share, down from $1.68 a year earlier. Analysts polled by Capital IQ expected $0.31. Revenue for the quarter was $983.6 million, down from $1.36 billion a year ago. Analysts expected $980 million. Peabody shares added 1.1%.