01:55 PM EDT, 03/13/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index decreasing 0.3% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) down 0.6%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was shedding 1.6%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was easing 0.1%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was declining 1.7% to $66.52 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was dropping 1.6% to $69.84 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 1.4% to $4.14 per 1 million BTU.

US natural gas stocks fell 62 billion cubic feet in the week ended March 7, against the 49 billion fall seen in a Bloomberg survey and following a drop of 80 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

In corporate news, Shell (SHEL) shipped a record 1.1 million tons of liquefied natural gas to fuel marine vessels last year, Bloomberg reported. Shell shares were adding 0.3%.

TXNM Energy ( TXNM ) shares edged up 0.2%. The firm said its subsidiary PNM and parties submitted an unopposed stipulation to New Mexico regulators to support a proposed resource plan adding solar and battery storage capacity in 2028.

NRG Energy ( NRG ) shares were shedding 2.1%. The company said late Wednesday it has agreed to acquire six natural gas-fired power plants totaling 738 megawatts from Texas-based Rockland Capital for $560 million.