03:21 PM EDT, 05/08/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks fell late Wednesday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) both easing 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index declined 0.1%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index rose 0.3%.

US crude oil stocks, including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, fell 400,000 barrels in the week ended May 3 following an increase of 7.9 million in the previous week. Excluding inventories in the SPR, commercial crude oil stocks fell 1.4 million after a gain of 7.3 million in the previous week.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 0.9% to $79.11 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract advanced 0.6% to $83.69 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures dropped 1% to $2.185 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Vistra ( VST ) shares jumped 9.8% after Q1 operating revenue topped expectations by analysts.