Sector Update: Energy Stocks Mixed in Afternoon Trading

02:13 PM EDT, 10/29/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were mixed Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.1% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) decreasing 0.3%. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index added 0.7%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index advanced 1.4%. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was falling 1% to $101.80 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.7% to $114.50 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures dropped 3.5% to $2.93 per 1 million BTU. In sector news, Russia will extend its export ban on diesel fuel until yearend but will allow some companies to ship diesel under a quota system to meet its recent commitment to the US, Reuters reported. Separately, US natural gas stocks rose by 80 billion cubic feet in the week ended Oct. 23, larger than the 72 billion cubic foot increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 77 billion cubic feet in the previous week. In corporate news, NextDecade (NEXT) shares jumped past 14% after the company reported that it swung to Q3 earnings of $0.54 per diluted share, from a $0.42 loss per share a year earlier. Shell (SHEL) shares rose 2.4% after it reported higher fiscal Q3 adjusted net income and revenue. Cheniere Energy (LNG) gained 5.8% after the company reported higher Q3 earnings and revenue. TotalEnergies (TTE) was up 1.5% after it posted higher Q3 adjusted earnings and revenue.