Sector Update: Energy

03:31 PM EDT, 09/03/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were down late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index falling 0.3% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) fractionally lower. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was falling 1.8%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index added 0.9%. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 0.7% to $91.62 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract increased 0.1% to $95.71 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures shed 1.3% to $2.92 per 1 million BTU. In corporate news, BP (BP) on Thursday sent a letter to the union representing workers at its refinery in Whiting, Indiana, stating that it is willing to re-start negotiations, or work through a federal mediator, to end a BP lock-out that began on March 19. BP shares were down 0.5%.