** Australian energy index .AXEJ jumps 1%, bouncing after a 2.7% slide on Monday and tracking rebound in oil prices O/R

** Sector heavyweight Woodside Energy WDS.AX up 1.8%, set to clock in its strongest session in over two weeks

** Santos STO.AX up 2%, eyes best day since early March

** Still, the index is down nearly 7% YTD, more than double the benchmark S&P ASX 200's .AXJO 3% drop

(Reporting by Jasmeen Ara Shaikh in Bengaluru)

((JasmeenAraIslam.Shaikh@thomsonreuters.com;))