By Steve Gelsi, MarketWatch
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Energy stocks rose in early trading Wednesday, taking some of the sting out of sizable losses sustained in the previous session.
In energy trading, crude-oil futures also moved higher, on the heels of the biggest one-day price slide in eight months. See MarketWatch report on crude futures back at the $80-a-barrel level.
The NYSE Arca Oil Index (XOI 1,078, +9.63, +0.90%) added 0.9% to 1,078 points, a day after the index of major petroleum producers and refiners fell nearly 3%.
The NYSE Arca Natural Gas Index (XNG 547.78, +4.42, +0.81%) also rose 0.9% to stand at 548.
The Philadelphia Oil Service Index (OSX 201.08, -0.78, -0.39%) showed a gain of 0.4% to 203.
Among stocks on the move, Anadarko Petroleum (APC 56.85, +0.80, +1.43%) rose 1.6% and Ensco PLC (ESV 47.40, +0.96, +2.07%) added 2%. Shares of Williams Cos. (WMB 21.54, +0.53, +2.52%) also stood out, gaining 2.5%.
