03:36 PM EDT, 07/29/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks advanced late Tuesday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 1% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.6%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index fell 1%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index gained 0.9%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil jumped 4.1% to $69.42 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent advanced 3.9% to $72.77 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures gained 3.1% to $3.08 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Duke Energy ( DUK ) agreed to sell its Piedmont Natural Gas Tennessee local distribution business to Spire (SR) for $2.48 billion in cash. Duke shares rose 1.2%, and Spire fell 4.2%.