03:25 PM EDT, 10/07/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.4% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was easing 0.1%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index was falling 2.4%.

Crude oil jumped on Monday amid reports of a meeting being scheduled between Iran and Russia to assess the Middle East crisis.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 3.8% to $77.19 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract advanced 3.8% to $81.00 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures slumped 4% to $2.74 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, American Water Works ( AWK ) said in a regulatory filing that it detected unauthorized activity within its computer systems and networks on Oct. 3. Its shares were falling 4%.