01:12 PM EDT, 09/23/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Tuesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 2.4% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 2.5%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was climbing 5.6%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was increasing 0.2%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 1.7% to $63.34 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 1.5% to $67.56 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures were 1.3% higher at $2.84 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Sempra ( SRE ) on Tuesday agreed to sell a 45% stake in its energy infrastructure platform to affiliates of investment firm KKR (KKR) and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in a cash deal worth about $10 billion, as the utility firm aims to simplify its business model and improve earnings growth. Sempra ( SRE ) shares rose 3.7%.