02:01 PM EST, 11/06/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks rose Thursday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index gaining 0.8% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 1.3%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index climbed 0.3%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index advanced 0.4%.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 0.3% to $59.40 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent shed 0.3% to $63.34 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 3% to $4.36 per 1 million BTU.

In sector news, US natural gas stocks rose by 33 billion cubic feet in the week ended Friday, above the 31 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following the gain of 74 billion in the previous week.

In corporate news, Cenovus Energy's ( CVE ) offer to buy MEG Energy won approval MEG from shareholders, BNN Bloomberg reported. MEG Chairman James McFarland said 86% of the shareholders voted in favor of the deal, above the two-thirds majority needed for the deal to proceed, the report said. Cenovus shares rose 1.6%.

Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) signed a farm-in agreement with Energean and Helleniq Energy Upstream for its participation in the Block 2 concession offshore Greece, with Exxon acquiring a 60% stake in the concession, Energean said. Exxon shares rose 0.4%.

MDU Resources ( MDU ) shares rose 3.7% after the company's Q3 operating revenue beat analyst estimates.