Crude oil prices gained nearly $2 on Monday

Monday brought a nearly $2 a barrel gain for crude oil prices as they rose to nearly their highest levels in more than a month.

It was simply the result of more optimism in oil on the part of investors. But their optimism did’t carry over to natural gas.

West Texas Intermediate crude, the US benchmark, went up $1.88 or 2.4% and settled at $80.33 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was the highest WTI settlement since late April.

Global benchmark Brent crude gained $1.63 or 2% and finished at $84.25 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe. It was also the highest level for Brent since April.

July natural gas fell 9 cents to $2.79 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Monday turned out to be a day of gains for most Oklahoma energy stocks including a nearly 8% boost for NGL Energy Partners.

Other energy stocks were rather mixed for the day, according to the Texas Energy Report.

APA Corp. (Apache) (APA) up 0.12 at 27.94 – change 0.,43%

Cheniere (LNG) down 0.79 at 155.09 – change 0.51%

Chevron (CVX) up 0.62 at 153.19 – change 0.40%

ConocoPhillips (COP) up 0.15 at 109.54- change 0.13%

Diamondback Energy (FANG) up 1.59 at 187.56– change 0.85%

Energy Transfer LP (ET) up 0.16 at 15.32 – change 1.05%

Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) up 0.04 at 28.37 – change 0.14%

EOG Resources (EOG) up 0.84 at 119.08 – change 0.71%

Exxon Mobil (XOM) down 0.75 at 108.36 – change 0.69%

Kinder Morgan (KMI) up 0.08 at 19.67 – change 0.40%

Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO) up 0.02 at 27.32 – change 0.07%

NOV Inc. (NOV) up 0.61 at 18.11 – change 3.48%

Occidental Petroleum (OXY) up 0.36 at 60.20 – change 0.60%

Phillips 66 (PSX) up 0.53 at 137.29 – change 0.38%

Tellurian Inc. (TELL) down 0.08 at 0.62 – change 10.41%

Valero (VLO) up 1.04 at 151.11 – change 0.69%

CLOSING TOP UTILITY STOCKS

American Electric Power (AEP) down 0.25 at 87.75 – change 0.29%

CenterPoint (CNP) down 0.16 at 30.69 – change 0.52%

Entergy (ETR) down 0.65 at 106.37 – change 0.61%