Sector Update: Energy Stocks Fall Monday Afternoon
Energy stocks were lower Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index falling 2% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) dropping 2.1%.The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was decreasing 1.2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index eased 0.1%.Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 5.3% to $95.00 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 4.3% to $99.41 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures declined 2.5% to $2.838 per 1 million BTU.In corporate news, Constellation Energy (CEG) has signed a 15-year contract to provide Toyota (TM) in North America with renewable energy certificates from a Texas solar project, the companies said Monday. Constellation shares rose 3.8%.Halliburton (HAL) said it has signed memorandums of understanding with Eneva and WESCA to support oil and gas sector development in Venezuela. Shares were shedding 0.8%.Petrobras' (PBR) board approved the Brazilian state-run oil firm's participation in a new subsidy program for diesel producers and importers, the company said. Shares were down 0.4%.American Resources' (AREC) majority-owned Electrified Materials unit has agreed to acquire Blackion in an all-stock deal valued at about $13.2 million. Shares added 0.8%.