03:26 PM EDT, 08/29/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks advanced late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each rising 0.4%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was fractionally down, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index shed 0.1%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil declined 1% to $63.95 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.7% to $68.12 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 2.3% to $3.01 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Southwest Gas ( SWX ) shares climbed 2.1% after BofA Securities upgraded the stock to buy from neutral with a price target of $84.