03:27 PM EST, 02/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were higher late Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index up 0.6% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) adding 0.8%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index dropped 0.9%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index eased 0.3%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil declined 0.9% to $70.63 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.5% to $74.64 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 2.6% to $3.72 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Fortis ( FTS ) shares rose 1.7% after it reported Q4 adjusted earnings Friday of 0.83 Canadian dollars ($0.59) per share, up from CA$0.72 a year earlier. Analysts polled by FactSet expected CA$0.81.