03:28 PM EDT, 07/08/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks rose late Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index gaining 2.2% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 2.5%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index jumped 5.2%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index shed 0.4%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil climbed 0.6% to $68.34 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent advanced 0.8% to $70.15 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 2.3% to $3.34 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Chesapeake Utilities ( CPK ) said its Aspire Energy Express unit agreed with American Electric Power (AEP) to build and operate a natural gas pipeline in central Ohio. Chesapeake shares rose 0.5%.