Energy stocks were mixed Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index adding 0.5% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) decreasing 0.8%.
The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was rising 0.4%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was up 0.5%.
Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 0.4% to $90.36 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was 0.2% lower at $92.96 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 3.1% to $3.09 per 1 million BTU.
In sector news, the US will hit Iran with an attack "VERY HARD TONIGHT," and it will take control of the Kharg Island sometime in the "not too distant future," President Donald Trump said Thursday on a Truth Social post. The island is, reportedly, the gateway for a vast majority of Iran's crude oil exports. Iran's Foreign Ministry has condemned the recent US strikes on the country, saying that it has rendered the ceasefire "practically meaningless," the Associated Press reported Thursday.
Separately, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Thursday lowered its global oil demand growth forecast for this year but raised its expectations for 2027. The cartel now expects oil consumption to rise by 970,000 barrels a day this year, down from its prior estimate that called for an increase of 1.17 million barrels. For 2027, OPEC now expects world oil demand to rise by 1.73 million barrels a day, compared with its last month's forecast of a 1.54 million-barrel increase.
In corporate news, Oklo (OKLO) shares gained 4.4% after it said Thursday that the US Department of Energy has approved the preliminary documented safety analysis for the Aurora powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory under the department's Reactor Pilot Program.
Energy Fuels (UUUU) shares jumped past 6% after the company said it expects finished uranium production at its White Mesa Mill to reach about 1.6 million pounds by June 30, which would already be within its full-year guidance range of 1.5 million to 2.5 million pounds of U3O8.
BP (BP) said its Whiting refinery team held a 63rd formal bargaining meeting with the United Steelworkers Local 7-1 committee to discuss a new labor contract. Shares added 0.4%.