04:12 PM EDT, 09/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index declining 0.2% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) easing 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was down 0.1%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index added 0.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil declined 0.6% to $63.68 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract decreased 0.6% to $67.56 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 5.4% to $2.93 per 1 million BTU.

US natural gas stocks rose by 90 billion cubic feet in the week ended Sept. 12, ahead of the 81 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 71 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

In corporate news, Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) Chief Executive Darren Woods said in an interview that the company is in talks with Russian officials to recoup $4.6 billion in assets and has no intention of investing in the country, the Financial Times reported. Separately, Exxon is suspending more than $100 million in investments in chemical recycling projects in Belgium and the Netherlands due to concerns over proposed EU rules that could undermine the projects' potential business viability, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing senior vice president Jack Williams. Exxon shares were down 0.8%.

PG&E (PCG) now has a "much more favorable" risk-reward profile, with the passing of the California Senate Bill 254 that deals with key short-term concerns over wildfire fund replenishment, Morgan Stanley said in a Thursday note. PG&E shares were shedding 1.2%.

NRG Energy (NRG) said late Wednesday it raised its full-year 2025 adjusted EPS guidance to $7.55 to $8.15 from the previous outlook of $6.75 to $7.75. NRG shares were fractionally higher.