Sector Update: Energy Stocks Mixed Monday Afternoon

02:06 PM EDT, 10/26/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were mixed Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index decreasing 0.2% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) adding 0.5%. The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was up 1.2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was fractionally lower. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 1.1% to $102.18 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract shed 0.5% to $116.10 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures decreased 0.5% to $2.63 per 1 million BTU. In corporate news, EQT (EQT) agreed to buy Range Resources (RRC) in an all-stock transaction that will create the largest natural gas producer in the US, with a combined enterprise value of more than $50 billion, the companies said Monday. EQT shares were down 1.9%, and Range Resources jumped past 17%. ConocoPhillips (COP) said Monday that it will implement a planned reduction to its Canadian workforce on Tuesday. The number of jobs to be cut was not disclosed, but the reduction will affect both employees and contractors, a company spokesperson confirmed to MT Newswires in an email. ConocoPhillips shares were up 0.3%. Ovintiv (OVV) signed a definitive deal to acquire Logan Energy for 1.40 Canadian dollars ($1.00) per share in cash for a total of about CA$1.26 billion, including assumed debt, the companies said. Ovintiv shares rose 0.8%.