-- Energy stocks were mixed late Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index fractionally higher and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) little changed.
The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was adding 0.9%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index increased 0.1%.
Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2% to $96.31 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract advanced 2.5% to $107.98 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures added 1.2% to $2.55 per 1 million BTU.
In corporate news, US Energy (USEG) shares jumped 20% after it said Monday it has signed a five-year helium sales agreement with an unnamed investment-grade global industrial gas company, securing long-term contracted cash flow for its Big Sky Carbon Hub project in Montana ahead of targeted Q1 2027 operations.
Shell (SHEL) agreed to buy Canadian energy company ARC Resources in a cash-and-stock deal with an enterprise value of $16.4 billion, as the oil and gas giant looks to increase its exposure to low-cost shale gas and liquids production in Canada's Montney basin. Shell shares were down 2.4%.
The UK's Seagreen wind farm, which is 25.5%-owned by TotalEnergies (TTE), has delayed a fixed-price government contract, preferring to sell electricity at higher market rates, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing data that it compiled. TotalEnergies shares were decreasing 0.7%.
Greenland Energy (GLND) said Monday it has signed an agreement with Halliburton (HAL) for integrated consulting services and logistical management related to the planning and transportation of equipment and services. Greenland shares were down 12%, and Halliburton shed 0.5%.