03:18 PM EST, 12/30/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 0.4% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) up 0.2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 1.5%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index shed 0.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 0.6% to $71.04 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 0.3% to $74.39 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures jumped 15% to $3.89 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Ormat Technologies ( ORA ) shares added 0.6% after saying Monday that its Montague energy storage facility started commercial operations.