-- Energy stocks were lower late Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index down 0.5% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) decreasing 0.3%.
The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was adding 0.4%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was shedding 0.9%.
In sector news, President Donald Trump said he sees the US-Israel war with Iran "as very close to over," news outlets reported, citing an interview on Fox Business Network conducted Tuesday and broadcast Wednesday.
Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil shed 0.3% to $90.98 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was steady at $94.79 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures increased 0.5% to $2.61 per 1 million BTU.
US crude oil stocks, including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, declined 5.1 million barrels in the week ended April 10 following an increase of 1.3 million barrels in the previous week. Excluding inventories in the SPR, commercial crude oil stocks fell by 900,000 barrels after a 3.1-million-barrel increase in the previous week, compared with the 1.9-million-barrel increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.
In corporate news, ReNew Energy Global (RNW) shares rose 2.4% after the firm said Wednesday it has commissioned roughly 2.4 gigawatts of assets in fiscal 2026, bringing its total operating capacity to about 12.6 GW.
Spire (SR) has agreed to sell its natural gas storage assets in Wyoming and Oklahoma to I Squared Capital for $650 million, the companies said Wednesday. Spire shares were down 0.4%.
Equinor's (EQNR) Danske Commodities said it eliminated about 28 positions in March, as the company aims to further its new commercial strategy. Equinor shares fell 3.2%.
NOV (NOV) shares fell 0.4% after the company said disruptions linked to the war in the Middle East are expected to weigh on its Q1 results, with revenue and earnings coming in below prior guidance due to logistical challenges and delayed equipment deliveries in the region.