01:50 PM EST, 02/13/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each adding 0.6%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 1.2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index shed 0.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was little changed at $71.39 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract was decreasing 0.1% to $75.10 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks fell by 100 billion cubic feet in the week ended Feb. 7, a larger drop than the 92 billion decline expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following a decrease of 174 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 1.7% to $3.63 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Elliott Investment Management is urging BP (BP) to make drastic divestments and cost cuts to boost its future as a standalone company, Bloomberg reported. BP shares added 0.5%.

PPL (PPL) reported Q4 earnings from ongoing operations Thursday of $0.34 per diluted share, down from $0.40 a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected $0.37. The shares fell 1.8%.

PBF Energy ( PBF ) shares dropped nearly 11% after it reported a wider Q4 adjusted loss as revenue fell during the quarter.