Sector Update: Energy

01:13 PM EST, 11/05/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) each shedding about 0.7%. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was falling 2.5%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index decreased 0.9%. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2.6% to $90.43 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract climbed up 3% to $97.44 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures added 0.7% to $2.98 per 1 million BTU. In corporate news, BP (BP) has sold a 5% stake in Norwegian oil and gas producer Aker BP at 311 Norwegian kroner ($33.46) per share, raising about 9.83 billion kroner in gross proceeds, BP said Thursday. BP shares were down 0.1%.