Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The major averages are maintaining their early gains heading into their final hour of trading. 

Eight sectors still trade in the green, with only the energy (-0.8%), health care (-0.3%), and industrials (-0.1%) sectors in negative territory.

The energy sector faces pressure from a falling price of oil as WTI crude slips $0.20, or 0.3%, to $65.85 per barrel.

Natural gas names are also underperforming, as natural gas futures have fallen $0.26, or 7.0%, to $3.34/MMBtu.

Losses in most components now have the sector in negative territory for the year (-0.4% year to date), though outperformance in top component Exxon Mobil (XOM 108.30, +0.53, +0.5%), is preventing a wider loss.