03:23 PM EDT, 08/13/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were slightly lower late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index decreasing 0.2% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) fractionally lower.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was shedding 0.3%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index rose 0.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 2.6% to $81.08 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 2.4% to $86.89 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures declined 2.8% to $2.73 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, NextEra Energy ( NEE ) shares added 0.2%. The company said late Wednesday it signed an agreement with the US Department of Commerce and the Japanese government to fund the development and operation of up to 10 gigawatts of natural gas-powered generation in Texas and Pennsylvania.