03:38 PM EDT, 08/01/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks fell late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index dropping 2.6% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) down 2.8%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index slumped 4.4%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index gained 1.7%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 1.5% to $76.76 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent dropped 1.1% to $79.97 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks rose 18 billion cubic feet in the week ended Friday, a smaller gain than the 29 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following a gain of 22 billion in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 2.8% to $1.98 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Aemetis ( AMTX ) shares tumbled past 15% after the company's Q2 revenue missed market expectations.