01:29 PM EDT, 08/07/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 0.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) up 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was decreasing 1.4%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index was adding 0.7%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was declining 0.3% to $64.18 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was shedding 0.3% to $66.72 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks rose by 7 billion cubic feet in the week ended Aug. 1, below the 11 billion gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 48 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures were 0.8% lower at $3.05 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, TotalEnergies (TTE) has decided not to invest in NextDecade's (NEXT) fifth LNG export unit in Texas or purchase gas from it, Reuters reported. TotalEnergies shares rose 1.2%, and NextDecade was falling 4.6%.