01:26 PM EDT, 08/15/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 0.6% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was easing 0.1%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was down 0.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil declined 1% to $63.31 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.9% to $66.25 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 3% to $2.93 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Empire Petroleum ( EP ) shares jumped 5.9% after it said that the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission has issued a ruling confirming the company's rights to the residual oil zone in the Eunice Monument South Unit unitized interval in Lea County, New Mexico.