01:34 PM EDT, 03/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index down 0.2% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) shedding 0.4%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index declined 0.6%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index fell 0.7%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil dropped 1.1% to $66.84 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was shedding 0.9% to $70.46 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 2% to $4.10 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Sempra ( SRE ) shares were shedding 0.6% after Argus downgraded the utility company to hold from buy.