03:24 PM EDT, 07/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index down 0.7% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) decreasing 0.9%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index dropped 1.2%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index rose 1.8%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil eased 0.1% to $67.46 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.2% to $69.35 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 0.8% to $3.57 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, BP (BP) shares were down 0.2% after it said Friday that it agreed to sell its US onshore wind business BP Wind Energy North America to LS Power.