-- Energy stocks were higher Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) each rising about 2%.
The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was increasing 0.5%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was shedding 0.5%.
Oil prices rallied Wednesday after US President Donald Trump reportedly rejected an Iranian proposal to lift the naval blockade. Trump told Axios on Wednesday he will maintain the US naval blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran agrees to a nuclear deal. Iran wanted the Strait of Hormuz opened before the two sides could sit down to discuss uranium enrichment at a later stage.
Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil jumped 7.3% to $107.18 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract climbed 7.4% to $119.47 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 2.2% to $2.63 per 1 million BTU.
In corporate news, Phillips 66 (PSX) shares jumped past 6%. The firm reported Q1 adjusted earnings Wednesday of $0.49 per diluted share, swinging from a loss of $0.90 a share a year ago. Analysts polled by FactSet expected a loss of $0.54 a share. Phillips 66 also raised its annualized quarterly dividend by 7%.