01:22 PM EST, 02/28/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging lower Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each easing 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index fell 1.6%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was up 0.1%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was declining 0.6% to $69.91 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was dropping 1.1% to $73.20 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures were 1.4% lower at $3.88 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, AES ( AES ) shares jumped past 11% after it reported Friday higher-than-expected Q4 adjusted earnings and its full-year 2025 guidance beat the average analyst earnings estimate compiled by FactSet.