-- Energy stocks were higher Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 0.5% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) adding 0.7%.
The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was climbing 1.6%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was rising 2.4%.
Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was rising 3.8% to $96.49 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 3.4% to $105.41 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 5.1% to $2.58 per 1 million BTU.
In corporate news, BP (BP) shareholders rejected a proposal that would have eliminated some climate-related disclosure requirements that investors had voted for at previous meetings, and Chair Albert Manifold was elected with 81.8% of the vote, media outlets reported Thursday. BP shares were down 0.6%.