03:37 PM EDT, 03/13/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index increasing 0.8% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) up 0.5%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was shedding 0.7%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was rising 1%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.8% to $97.47 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract advanced 1.7% to $102.14 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 3.1% to $3.13 per 1 million BTU.

In sector news, the US has temporarily authorized countries to buy Russian oil already stranded at sea to help stabilize global energy markets, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X on Friday.

In corporate news, H2O America ( HTO ) shares rose 2.3% after Baird started coverage of the company at outperform with a $67 price target.