Sector Update: Energy Stocks Advance Late Afternoon

03:55 PM EST, 11/09/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.2% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) adding 0.6%. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was climbing up 1.2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was up 1.6%. In geopolitical news, President Donald Trump told CNN on Sunday that renewed US military attacks are "highly unlikely" if Tehran makes progress toward an agreement on its nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar's prime minister is in Washington, DC, to meet Trump and Vice President JD Vance, with the Middle East on tenterhooks over fears of an imminent resumption of the Iran war, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 5.3% to $86.05 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract dropped 6.6% to $91.80 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 6.9% to $3.21 per 1 million BTU. In corporate news, NRG Energy (NRG) shares jumped past 9% after the firm said Monday it has agreed to sell six natural gas generation assets to LS Power for $4 billion in cash. Constellation Energy (CEG) rose past 10% after it reported Q3 adjusted operating earnings of $5.06 per share, up from $3.04 a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $3.90. Ecopetrol (EC) is tapping the dollar bond market for the first time in over two years, as it refinances debt to fund its Brazilian expansion, Bloomberg reported. The Colombian energy firm is selling eight-year notes with initial price talks putting yields at some 8.35%, the report said. Shares added 0.3%. Sable Offshore (SOC) shares fell 54% after the firm missed Q3 estimates and said its crude oil sales were halted by the only downstream client in early October due to storage tank upgrades.