03:42 PM EDT, 07/12/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks rose late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index adding 0.4% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) up 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 1.1%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index gained 1.4%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 0.5% at $82.19 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent decreased 0.4% to $85.05 a barrel. Henry Hub natural-gas futures spiked 2.4% to $2.32 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Vista Energy (VIST) shares climbed 2.1%, a day after the company reported Q2 adjusted earnings of $0.74 a share, up from $0.61 a year earlier.

ConocoPhillips ( COP ) and Marathon Oil ( MRO ) said that they each received a second request from the US Federal Trade Commission for more information about their planned merger. ConocoPhillips ( COP ) shares were falling 0.5%, and Marathon was shedding 0.4%.

Martin Midstream Partners ( MMLP ) is not for sale, the general partner of the company said late Thursday in response to a $4-per-unit buyout proposal from Nut Tree Capital and Caspian Capital. Martin Midstream ( MMLP ) shares sank almost 3%.

Black Hills (BKH) shares were rising 2.1%. The firm said late Thursday it will provide power to Meta Platforms' (META) data center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, via its Black Hills Energy unit.