03:57 PM EDT, 05/28/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were mixed late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index fractionally lower and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) up 0.2%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was falling 1.5%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index shed 1%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 0.5% to $89.14 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.4% to $93.93 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures climbed up 5% to $3.04 per 1 million BTU.

In sector news, US crude oil stocks, including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, fell by 12.4 million barrels in the week ended May 22 following a fall of 17.8 million barrels in the previous week. Excluding inventories in the SPR, commercial crude oil stocks declined by 3.3 million barrels after a 7.9-million-barrel decline in the previous week, a larger drop than the 3-million-barrel decrease expected in a Bloomberg survey.

In corporate news, BP's (BP) former chairman Albert Manifold, who was ousted earlier in the week, had fallen out with company secretary Ben Mathews before his removal from the role, the Financial Times reported. BP shares were down 0.4%.

Ecopetrol ( EC ) said Thursday its board has postponed the start date of the previously announced unpaid leave of Chief Executive Ricardo Roa Barragan. Ecopetrol ( EC ) shares fell 1.1%.

TotalEnergies (TTE) and Stellantis (STLA) have renewed and expanded their partnership in Europe to develop and deliver engine oils and lubricants, the companies said. TotalEnergies shares rose 0.8%.

Baker Hughes ( BKR ) said it has secured multiyear contract extensions with Equinor ( EQNR ) for drilling, well services and wireline intervention in the North Sea. Baker Hughes ( BKR ) shares climbed 2.3%, and Equinor ( EQNR ) was up 0.1%.