01:21 PM EDT, 08/27/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.9% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) rising 1.2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was climbing 1.9%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was little changed.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 1% to $63.85 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 0.7% to $67.72 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures were 3.7% higher at $3.82 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, EQT (EQT) is in talks to secure a supply of liquefied natural gas from NextDecade's ( NEXT ) Rio Grande export terminal, which is currently under construction in Brownsville, Texas, Bloomberg reported. NextDecade ( NEXT ) shares jumped 7%, and EQT was down 1.4%.