03:20 PM EDT, 08/06/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each rising 1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was posting a 0.7% increase, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was adding 1.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.2% at $73.11 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 0.2% to $76.43 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures spiked 3.9% to $2.02 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, New Jersey Resources ( NJR ) shares were falling 3% after the company reported a fiscal Q3 net financial loss Tuesday of $0.09 per share, swinging from net financial earnings of $0.10 per share a year earlier. Analysts expected loss of $0.05.