Energy stocks were mixed Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 0.2% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) easing 0.1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index dropped 1%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was adding 0.3%.

US crude oil stocks, including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, rose by 2.7 million barrels in the week ended Nov. 8 following an increase of 3.5 million barrels in the previous week. Excluding inventories in the SPR, commercial crude oil stocks rose by 2.1 million barrels, as they did in the previous week, a larger gain than the 1.6-million-barrel increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil was declining 0.4% to $68.16 a barrel while the global benchmark Brent crude contract eased 0.3% to $72.03 a barrel.

US natural gas stocks rose by 42 billion cubic feet in the week ended Nov. 8, above the 39 billion gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and following an increase of 69 billion cubic feet in the previous week.

Henry Hub natural gas futures slumped 5.5% to $2.82 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, PHX Minerals (PHX) shares popped 3.2% after the company said Thursday that its board has rejected WhiteHawk Energy's takeover proposal via an all-cash deal of $4 per PHX share.

Maxeon Solar Technologies (MAXN) shares tumbled past 14% after the company said that its solar panels continue to be detained and blocked from being imported into the US from its plants in Mexico by US Customs and Border Protection.

Ovintiv (OVV) shares gained 3.7% after the company said it has agreed to buy some assets in Alberta Montney from Paramount Resources in an all-cash deal of $2.38 billion.