Sector Update: Energy

03:44 PM EDT, 10/15/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were lower late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index falling 1.4% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) dropping 2.1%. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was declining 1.5%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index eased 0.2%. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2.7% to $97.69 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was 0.3% lower at $105.79 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures added 1.1% to $3.23 per 1 million BTU. In corporate news, American Water Works (AWK) shares increased 1.3% after it said Thursday that the US Environmental Protection Agency awarded its California unit $864,500 for the Monterey Wildfire Infrastructure Improvement Project.