03:36 PM EDT, 08/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks retreated late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index dropping 0.4% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) shedding 0.2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index lost 0.9%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index declined 0.6%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2.3% to $64.06 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent advanced 2% to $66.96 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures were little changed at $2.83 per 1 million BTU.

US natural gas stocks rose by 56 billion cubic feet in the week ended Friday, larger than the 54 billion cf gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and above an increase of 7 billion cf in the previous week.

In corporate news, Lithium Americas ( LAC ) shares fell 2.9% after the company's Q2 loss widened.

Equinix (EQIX) said Thursday it has entered into agreements with nuclear energy providers Oklo ( OKLO ) , Radiant, ULC-Energy, and Stellaria, and fuel cell manufacturer Bloom Energy ( BE ) to back the energy requirements of its data centers. Oklo ( OKLO ) shares were falling 3.8%, while Bloom added 0.6%.

Phillips 66 (PSX) has cut gasoline output at its Bayway refinery in New Jersey following a fire close to the plant's gasoline-producing unit, Reuters reported. Phillips 66 shares were fractionally lower.

ConocoPhillips ( COP ) is likely to see the peak of its major capital spending at $3 billion this year, which is expected to drop by at least $1 billion in 2026 as the working capital headwind is now mostly in the rear-view, RBC said in a Wednesday note. ConocoPhillips ( COP ) shares were easing 0.2%.