03:43 PM EDT, 04/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks rose late Tuesday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index gaining 0.5% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.3%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 1.3%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index increased 0.4%.

West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.8% to $83.36 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent advanced 1.7% to $88.44 a barrel. Henry Hub natural-gas futures jumped 2.5% to $1.84 per 1 million BTU. erasing earlier losses.

In corporate news, NextEra Energy Partners ( NEP ) shares jumped 5.2% after the company reported Q1 earnings of $0.75 per common unit, swinging from a per-unit loss of $0.17 a year earlier.

NextEra Energy (NEE) reported Q1 adjusted earnings of $0.91 per diluted share, up from $0.84 a year earlier. Analysts polled by Capital IQ expected $0.78. Its shares gained 1.2%.

California will conclude its two-year investigation into Exxon Mobil's ( XOM ) role in plastic pollution by summer and decide whether to file a lawsuit against the oil giant, Reuters reported Monday, citing state Attorney General Rob Bonta. Exxon was up 0.3%.

Air Products and Chemicals ( APD ) plans to build a network of permanent hydrogen refueling stations along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway in Alberta, stretching from Edmonton to Calgary. Air Products shares fell 0.3%.