03:23 PM EDT, 09/05/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index falling 1.6% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) dropping 2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was decreasing 0.7%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was shedding 0.4%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil declined 2.2% to $62.06 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract dropped 1.9% to $65.71 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures were 1.2% lower at $3.04 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Southern's (SO) electric subsidiary Georgia Power said Friday it got approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission to certify five new utility-scale solar site power purchase agreements. Southern shares were down 0.1%.