03:23 PM EDT, 09/06/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks declined late Friday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index falling 1.5% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) dropping 1.4%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index retreated 2.2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index shed 0.4%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 1.6% to $68.08 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent dropped 1.8% to $71.41 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 1.5% to $2.29 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Avangrid ( AGR ) was selected by Massachusetts to provide offshore wind power under a 791-megawatt power supply contract. The stock eased 0.1%.