By Steve Gelsi, MarketWatch NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Energy stocks held on to gains Wednesday despite a less-than-expected increase in petroleum supplies. Energy stocks also took their cue from the broad market as the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DJ: 8,759.99, +68.66, +0.8%) , up 90 points. Crude prices also provided a lift, rising $1.20 to $43.26 a barrel. See Futures Movers. The Amex Natural Gas Index (XNG: 375.65, +12.91, +3.6%) rose 3.6% to 376. The Amex Oil Index (XOI: 924.29, +15.11, +1.7%) rose 3% to 935. Sector leader Exxon Mobil (XOM: 79.59, +1.39, +1.8%) advanced 2% to $79.81. Chevron (CVX: 76.98, +1.42, +1.9%) rose 2.3% to $77.32. U.S. crude oil inventories rose by 400,000 barrels during the week ended Dec. 5 to stand at 320.8 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration reported. Analysts polled by Platts had expected a buildup of 2.7 million barrels in crude-oil stocks for the week. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 3.8 million barrels last week, greater than the target of 1.4 million barrels. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 5.6 million barrels, compared to a decline of 1.6 million barrels that had been expected, the EIA said. Among energy stocks in the spotlight, El Paso (EP: 7.12, +0.17, +2.5%) rose 3% to $7.17 after it issued $500 million in five-year notes. Power generation firm Dynegy Inc. (DYN: 1.97, +0.06, +3.1%) said it expects 2009 earnings on a GAAP basis to range from a $20 million loss to $85 million profit. It forecast adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in the range of $825 million and $1 billion. Shares rose nearly 4% to $1.98.

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