03:16 PM EDT, 06/26/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 1.1% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 1.2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index increased 0.4%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 0.6% to $65.29 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was 0.1% higher at $67.74 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks rose by 96 billion cubic feet in the week ended June 20, larger than the 87 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 95 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures dropped 4.3% to $3.26 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Excelerate Energy ( EE ) is in advanced talks with Iraq to help arrange the country's first liquefied natural gas imports as it seeks to reduce its reliance on Iranian gas, Bloomberg reported. Excelerate shares rose 2%.