01:36 PM EDT, 08/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each shedding 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was falling 1.9%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index declined 0.4%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.6% to $63.62 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract advanced 1.4% to $66.52 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures were 0.1% higher at $2.83 per 1 million BTU.

US natural gas stocks rose by 56 billion cubic feet in the week ended Aug. 8, larger than the 54 billion gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and well above an increase of 7 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

In corporate news, Phillips 66 (PSX) has cut gasoline output at its Bayway refinery in New Jersey following a fire close to the plant's gasoline producing unit, Reuters reported. Phillips 66 shares declined 0.7%.