04:21 PM EDT, 08/21/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks advanced late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) each adding 0.7%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index climbed 1.6%, while the Dow Jones US Utilities index shed 0.7%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.1% to $63.41 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract advanced 1% to $67.53 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures were 2.1% higher at $2.81 per 1 million BTU.

US natural gas stocks rose by 13 billion cubic feet in the week ended Aug. 15, below the 18 billion gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 56 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

In corporate news, NuScale Power ( SMR ) , which develops compact nuclear reactors, has strong US government backing for its technology, though it continues to lack binding commercial contracts, BofA Securities said, initiating coverage of the stock with a neutral rating. NuScale shares were down 1%.

Energy Fuels ( UUUU ) shares jumped past 10% after the company said it has produced its first kilogram of dysprosium oxide at pilot scale at its White Mesa Mill in Utah.

ConocoPhillips ( COP ) said Thursday it signed a 20-year sales and purchase agreement with Sempra's (SRE) Sempra Infrastructure unit to buy 4 million tons per year of liquefied natural gas from the latter's Port Arthur LNG phase 2 project under development in Jefferson County, Texas. ConocoPhillips ( COP ) shares shed 0.1%, and Sempra fell 1.5%.