01:25 PM EDT, 03/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each rising 1.7%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index added 1.6%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was up 0.8%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 0.5% to $67.49 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 0.6% to $70.98 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures shed 0.2% to $4.10 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Chevron ( CVX ) acquired 15.4 million shares of Hess (HESS) between January and March, representing about 4.99% of all outstanding shares as of Jan. 31, Chevron ( CVX ) said Monday in a regulatory filling. Chevron ( CVX ) shares were rising 1.4%, and Hess added 2.2%.