03:43 PM EDT, 04/24/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were easing late Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index slipping 0.1% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) fractionally down.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was down 0.3%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities Index gained 0.9%.

US crude stocks, including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, fell by 5.6 million barrels in the week ended April 19 following a rise of 3.4 million barrels in the previous week. Excluding SPR inventories, commercial crude oil stocks fell by 6.4 million barrels after a 2.7-million-barrel gain in the previous week, compared with the 2-million-barrel rise expected in a Bloomberg survey.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude declined 0.5% to $82.95 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent shed 0.3% to $88.19 a barrel. Henry Hub natural-gas futures tumbled 9% to $1.65 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, TransAlta ( TAC ) shares gained 1.6% after it said Wednesday that its White Rock East and White Rock West wind facilities in Oklahoma began commercial electricity production.

CNX Resources ( CNX ) and Deep Well Services said Wednesday they have formed a joint venture to launch oilfield service company AutoSep Technologies. CNX Resources ( CNX ) shares gained 0.8%.

Suncor Energy ( SU ) has raised doubts over the commencement date of the long-delayed Trans Mountain expansion project in a letter to the Canada Energy Regulator Tuesday. Suncor shares were fractionally up.

Entergy ( ETR ) reported Q1 adjusted earnings of $1.08 per diluted share, compared with $1.14 a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by Capital IQ expected $1.50. Its shares were falling 0.3%.