01:28 PM EDT, 03/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.1% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index rose 0.3%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was edging up 0.1%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 1.7% to $68.27 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 1.6% to $71.91 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 5.4% to $4.02 per 1 million BTU.

US natural gas stocks rebounded by 9 billion cubic feet in the week ended March 14, above the 4 billion increase expected in a Bloomberg survey and following a decrease of 62 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

In corporate news, VivoPower International ( VVPR ) shares were up over 6% after the firm said it plans to spin off its subsidiary, Caret Digital, through a direct listing on Nasdaq.