01:20 PM EDT, 09/06/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks declined Friday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index falling 1.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) shedding 0.9%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index dropped 1.5%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index lost 0.6%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 2.1% to $67.71 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent dropped 2.1% to $71.15 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 1% to $2.28 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Bloom Energy ( BE ) shares tumbled 12% as Jefferies downgraded the company's stock to hold from buy.