Sector Update: Energy Stocks Lower in Afternoon Trading
Energy stocks declined Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index shedding 1.2% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) decreasing 0.8%.The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index rose 1.8%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index added 0.2%Crude oil futures dropped following reports that Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Donald Trump's envoys will arrive in Pakistan for peace talks this weekend. Araghchi, the main mediator between Tehran and Washington, is set to arrive in Islamabad with a small delegation, Pakistani government sources and an Iranian source told CNN. Pakistan is brokering the talks between Washington and Tehran, seeking an end to the war in Iran and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 2% to $93.92 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent eased 0.2% to $104.85 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures declined 3.3% to $2.53 per 1 million BTU.In corporate news, X-Energy (XE) shares were up 26% following their debut on Nasdaq.SLB (SLB) reported mixed Q1 results, reflecting headwinds from the Middle East conflict. The shares rose 3.8% as revenue topped estimates, while earnings fell.BP (BP) and Repsol have been accused of anti-competitive practices in a complaint filed with the European Commission by Spanish fuel wholesaler Hatta Energy, Bloomberg reported. BP shares were down 0.8%.
