03:25 PM EDT, 03/27/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks fell late Thursday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index down 0.7% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) shedding 0.9%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index dropped 0.7%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities Index rose 0.2%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil gained 0.4% to $69.90 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent crude contract rose 0.4% at $73.32 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks rose by 37 billion cubic feet in the week ended Friday, topping the 33 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following the gain of 9 billion in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures climbed 2.3% to $3.95 per 1 million BTU.

In sector news, the Trump administration asked oil and biofuel groups to discuss and work together on a new biofuel policy, Reuters reported.

In corporate news, VivoPower ( VVPR ) shares were falling over 2% after it said Thursday it has agreed to give Abu Dhabi-based Energi an eight-week exclusivity period to conduct due diligence over its takeover proposal.