03:26 PM EST, 01/13/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 1.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) climbing 2.1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index posted a 1.2% increase, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index was down 0.9%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 3% to $78.83 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract advanced 1.6% to $81.01 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 1.5% to $3.93 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Edison International's ( EIX ) southern California utility is facing a lawsuit blaming the company's equipment for igniting a wildfire in Los Angeles, Bloomberg reported. Edison International ( EIX ) shares were falling past 11%.