03:44 PM EST, 02/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks rose late Friday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.6% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index dropped 1%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index eased 0.3%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil declined 0.9% to $70.63 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent shed 0.5% to $74.64 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 2.6% to $3.72 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Fortis ( FTS ) shares rose 1.5% after the company reported Q4 adjusted earnings that topped estimates by analysts.

Diamondback Energy ( FANG ) is in talks to buy Double Eagle in a deal potentially valuing the energy producer at over $5 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported. Diamondback shares were little changed.

Enbridge ( ENB ) Chief Executive Officer Greg Ebel said on Bloomberg TV that the scrapped Northern Gateway oil pipeline proposal would be difficult to revive without major legislative changes in Canada. Enbridge ( ENB ) shares fell 3.5%.

Epsilon Energy ( EPSN ) shares rose 4.3%, a day after the company's board approved a new one-year program to repurchase up to 2.2 million shares for an aggregate price of not more than $13 million.