03:47 PM EST, 11/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index falling 1.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) dropping 1.8%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was slumping 2.7%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was rising 0.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil declined 0.5% to $59.81 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.5% to $64.10 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 5.2% to $4.33 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, ExxonMobil ( XOM ) and BASF have signed a joint development agreement to accelerate methane pyrolysis, with a plan to build a demonstration plant in Baytown, Texas, to support commercial readiness, Exxon said Monday. Exxon shares were down 1.4%.