03:22 PM EST, 12/27/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were mixed late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) easing 0.2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index fell 0.5%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index shed 0.6%.

US crude oil stocks, including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, fell 4 million barrels in the week Friday following a decrease of 400,000 barrels in the previous week. Excluding inventories in the SPR, commercial crude oil stocks fell 4.2 million after a 900,000 drop in the previous week, a larger decline than the 600,000 expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.1% to $70.40 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent advanced 1% to $73.97 a barre after Israeli strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels triggered supply concerns amid the escalating tensions in the region.

US natural gas stocks fell 93 billion cubic feet in the week ended Friday, compared with the 100 billion decrease expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following a decrease of 125 billion in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures slumped 5.4% to $3.51 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Battalion Oil ( BATL ) shares rose 16%. The company's Halcon unit refinanced all of its senior secured credit agreements with lenders, who are providing $162 million in borrowing capacity through a new term loan maturing in December 2028.