Energy stocks were higher Monday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index rising 0.5% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) adding 1%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was increasing 0.9%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index was shedding 0.5%.

Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil decreased 0.2% to $82.35 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract rose 0.2% to $88.29 a barrel. Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 2.5% to $2.84 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Magnolia Oil & Gas (MGY) agreed to buy privately-held WildFire Energy in a roughly $4.06 billion deal, including debt, that will give it a dominant position in the Giddings field in South Texas. Magnolia shares were down 3.5%.