01:26 PM EST, 02/19/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.2% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.8%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index fell 1.4%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was fractionally higher.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 0.8% to $72.39 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 0.5% to $76.19 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures jumped 5.7% to $4.24 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Devon Energy ( DVN ) reported late Tuesday Q4 core earnings and revenue that beat the average analyst estimates compiled by FactSet. Its shares jumped 8.6%.