03:23 PM EDT, 06/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks fell late Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index shedding 0.8% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) down 0.9%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index dropped 0.8%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index declined 0.1%.

US crude oil stocks, including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, rose 4.9 million barrels in the week ended Friday following a decrease of 2.2 million in the previous week. Excluding SPR inventories, commercial crude oil stocks rose 3.6 million after a 2.5 million decrease in the previous week, compared with the 2.8 million drop expected in a Bloomberg survey.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil eased 0.1% to $80.78 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent crude rose 0.2% to $85.18 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures tumbled 5% to $2.62 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, PPL (PPL) shares shed 0.8%. The company said its Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities units will explore additional locations and partnerships that may support nuclear energy in the state.