EXCO (XCO) (UEIC) (SHEN) (SM) (VDSI) Ratings, Price Targets

EXCO Resources, Inc. (NYSE: XCO), Universal Electronics Inc. (NASDAQ: UEIC), Shenandoah Telecommunications Co. (NASDAQ: SHEN), SM Energy (NYSE: SM) and VASCO Data Security International, Inc. (NASDAQ: VDSI) ratings and price targets.

Universal Electronics Inc. (UEIC) was downgraded by Zacks Investment Research from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating.

EXCO Resources, Inc. (XCO) was downgraded by Zacks Investment Research from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating.

Shenandoah Telecommunications Co. (SHEN) was upgraded by Zacks Investment Research from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating.

SM Energy (SM) was upgraded by Capital One to an “add” rating.

VASCO Data Security International, Inc. (VDSI) was upgraded by Wunderlich Securities from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating. Theyw have a price target of $8.25 on the firm.

EXCO (XCO) (CEDC) (LEN) (AB) (BCSI) Ratings, Price Targets

EXCO Resources, Inc. (NYSE: XCO), Central European Distribution Corp. (NASDAQ: CEDC), Lennar Co. (NYSE: LEN), AllianceBernstein Holding LP (NYSE: AB) and Blue Coat (NASDAQ: BCSI) ratings and price targets.

EXCO Resources, Inc. (XCO) was downgraded by Stifel Nicolaus from a “Buy” rating to a “Hold” rating.

Central European Distribution Corp. (CEDC) was downgraded by Nomura to a “Reduce” rating.

Lennar Co. (LEN) was downgraded by UBS AG (NYSE:UBS) from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating. They have a price target of $20.00 on the company.

AllianceBernstein Holding LP (AB) was upgraded by Sandler O’Neill from a “Sell” rating to a “Hold” rating.

Blue Coat (BCSI) was upgraded by Miller Tabak from a “Sell” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

Perry Ellis (PERY) (CP) (TDG) (XCO) (AON) (CEDC) Downgraded

Perry Ellis International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PERY), Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (NYSE: CP), Transdigm Group (NYSE: TDG), EXCO Resources, Inc. (NYSE: XCO), Aon Co. (NYSE: AON) and Central European Distribution Corp. (NASDAQ: CEDC) were downgraded by analysts.

Perry Ellis International, Inc. (PERY) was downgraded by SunTrust (NYSE:STI) from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP) was downgraded by UBS AG (NYSE:UBS) from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

Transdigm Group (TDG) was downgraded by Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

EXCO Resources, Inc. (XCO) was downgraded by Citigroup (NYSE:C) from a “Buy” rating to a “Hold” rating. They have a price target of $49.00 on the company.

Aon Co. (AON) was downgraded by Sandler O’Neill from a “Buy” rating to a “Hold” rating.

Central European Distribution Corp. (CEDC) was downgraded by Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) from a “Neutral” rating to an “Underperform” rating. They have a price target of $3.00 on the company.

Petrohawk (HK) (COP) (MOS) (XCO) (NVE) Ratings Reiterated

Petrohawk Energy (NYSE: HK), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS), EXCO Resources, Inc. (NYSE: XCO) and NV Energy (NYSE: NVE) had ratings reiterated by analysts.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) maintains an "Overweight" rating on ConocoPhillips (COP). They have a price target of $91.00 on the company.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) reiterated a "Hold" rating on Petrohawk Energy (HK).

JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an "Overweight" rating on The Mosaic Company (MOS).

Wunderlich maintains a "Buy" rating on NV Energy (NVE). They have a price target of $17.00 on the company.

Scotia Capital reiterated a "Sector Perform" rating on EXCO Resources (XCO).

Petrohawk Energy closed Friday at $38.17, gaining $14.68, or 62.49 percent. ConocoPhillips closed at $76.42, rising $0.81, or 1.07 percent. The Mosaic Company ended the day at $66.75, up $0.67, or 1.01 percent. EXCO Resources closed at $16.42, climbing $1.26, or 8.31 percent. NV Energy closed at $15.22, jumping $0.06, or 0.40 percent.

Cameron (CAM) (CLNE) (CNQ) (XCO) (MAR) Upgraded by Analysts

Analysts upgraded shares of Cameron (NYSE: CAM), Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE), Canadian Natural Resources (NYSE: CNQ), EXCO Resources, Inc. (NYSE: XCO) and Marriott (NYSE: MAR).

Cameron (NYSE: CAM) was upgraded by Global Hunter Securities from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating. They have a price target of $63.00 on the company, up from $55.00.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE) was upgraded by Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) from an “underperform” rating to a “buy” rating. They have a price target of $19.00 on the company.

Canadian Natural Resources (NYSE: CNQ) was upgraded by Stifel Nicolaus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating. They have a price target of $50.00 on the company.

EXCO Resources, Inc. (NYSE: XCO) was upgraded by Stifel Nicolaus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating. They have a price target of $19.00 on the company.

Marriott (NYSE: MAR) was upgraded by Robert W. Baird from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating. They have a price target of $44.00 on the company, up from $40.00.

Cameron International closed Wednesday at $49.57, gaining $0.23, or 0.47 percent. Clean Energy Fuels closed at $17.01, rising $1.93, or 12.80 percent. Canadian Natural Resources closed at $41.18, climbing 0.53, or 1.30 percent. EXCO Resources, Inc. ended the day at $15.66, falling $0.08, or 0.51 percent. Marriott closed at $37.14, up $0.32, or 0.87 percent.

Ratings on Alcoa (AA) (CVX) (JASO) (XCO) (WTR) Reiterated by Analysts

Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA), Chevron (NYSE: CVX), EXCO Resources, Inc. (NYSE: XCO), JA Solar (NASDAQ: JASO) and Aqua America (NYSE: WTR) have ratings reiterated by analysts.

Gabelli maintained a "Buy" rating on Aqua America (WTR)

Dahlman Rose reiterated a "Hold" on EXCO Resources, Inc. (XCO).

Collins Stewart reiterated a "Neutral" rating on JA Solar (JASO).

Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) maintains a "Hold" on Chevron (CVX).

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) reiterated an "Overweight" rating on Alcoa Inc. (AA).

Aqua America closed Tuesday at $22.38, gaining $0.08, or 0.36 percent. EXCO closed at $15.72, rising $0.51, or 3.35 percent. JA Solar ended the session at $4.56, falling $0.12, or 2.56 percent. Chevron closed at $104.39, down $0.02, or 0.02 percent. Alcoa closed at $15.71, falling $0.20, or 1.26 percent.

Forest Oil (FST) (WR) (XCO) (NEWP) (CWTR) Price Targets Changed by Analysts

Price targets on Forest Oil Co. (NYSE: FST), Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR), EXCO Resources, Inc. (NYSE: XCO), Newport Co. (NASDAQ: NEWP) and Coldwater Creek Inc. (NASDAQ: CWTR) were adjusted by analysts.

Wunderlich cut their price target on Coldwater Creek Inc. (CWTR) to $34.00.

Barclays Capital cut their price target on Forest Oil Co. (FST) from $44.00 to $31.00. They have an “overweight” rating on the company.

Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Newport Co. (NEWP) from $25.00 to $27.00. They have a “buy” rating on the company.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) raised their price target on Westar Energy, Inc. (WR) to $29.00.

RBC Capital cut their price target on EXCO Resources, Inc. (XCO) from $21.00 to $16.00. They have a “sector perform” rating on the company.

Forest Oil closed Monday at $22.81, dropping $0.93, or 3.92 percent. Coldwater Creek ended the session at $1.34, falling $0.08, or 5.63 percent. Newport closed at $18.63, down $0.52, or 2.72 percent. Westar closed at $26.81, losing $0.26, or 0.96 percent. EXCO Resources closed at $15.20, declining $0.65, or 4.10 percent.

Baker Hughes (BHI) (NOV) (OAS) (BRY) (XCO) Trading Up

Shares of Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE:BHI), National-Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NYSE:NOV), Oasis Petroleum (NYSE:OAS), Berry Petroleum (NYSE:BRY) and Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO) were trading up today as oil prices rebounded later in the session.

The expiring U.S. June crude contract was up 98 cents to $99.42 a barrel, after falling as low as $95.99.

U.S. July crude climbed $1 to $99.93, bouncing back after falling to $96.35.

Shares of oil companies like BP (NYSE:BP), Anadarko (NYSE:APC), Transocean and Cameron International (NYSE:CAM), all of which were connected to the Gulf oil spill, were all trading up on news of the settlement between BP and Macondo Well partner Mitsui (OTC:MITSY).

Exco Resources Inc. (XCO) was trading at $20.59, gaining $0.26, or 1.28 percent, as of 2:52 PM EDT. Berry Petroleum (BRY) was at $50.41, up $1.52, or 2:54 percent. Oasis Petroleum (OAS) was trading at $29.83, up $1.06, or 3.68 percent. National-Oilwell Varco, Inc. (NOV) was at $68.12, gaining $0.19, or 0.28 percent. Baker Hughes Incorporated (BHI) was trading at $70.80, gaining $0.23, or 0.33 percent.

Petrohawk (HK) (XCO) (OAS) (RRC) (NOG) Trade Mixed as Energy Falls

Shares of Petrohawk Energy Corp. (NYSE:HK), Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO), Oasis Petroleum (NYSE:OAS), Range Resources (NYSE:RRC) and Northern Oil and Gas (Amex:NOG) traded mixed on Thursday as oil and gas were down on the day.

Benchmark crude for June delivery fell $1.63 to settle at $98.93 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude oil for July delivery was down 23 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $112.07.

June, heating oil fell 1.12 cents to settle at $2.8947 a gallon, gasoline dropped 2.95 cents to $2.926 a gallon and natural gas fell 10.5 cents to $4.161 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Linn Energy, LLC (LINE) closed Thursday at $38.35, gaining $0.33, or 0.87 percent. Lufkin Industries, Inc. (LUFK) ended the session at $85.06, up $1.81, or 2.17 percent.

Petrohawk Energy Corp. (HK) closed Thursday at $24.16, falling $0.16, or 0.66 percent. Oasis Petroleum (OAS) closed at $28.77, gaining $0.42, or 1.48 percent.

Halliburton (HAL) (FTI) (CPE) (XCO) (DVN) Trade Mixed as Oil Prices Rebounded Friday

Shares of Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:FTI), Callon Petroleum (NYSE:CPE), Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO) and Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN) traded mixed even as oil prices closed Friday in positive territory.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for June delivery on Friday settled at $99.65 a barrel, up 68 cents, or 0.69 percent, after trading in a range of $97.09 to $100.70.

For the week, front-month crude climbed $2.47, or 2.5 percent.

ICE Brent for June delivery settled at $113.83 a barrel, up 85 cents, or 0.75 percent, after trading in a range of $111.72 to $114.92. The Brent crude contract for July delivery was at 66 cents, or 0.6 percent higher on Friday, at $112.99. Last week, Brent crude jumped $4.70, or 4.3 percent.

The U.S. dollar index was up 0.8 percent higher at $75.72 as the euro was down 1 percent against the dollar at $1.411. On Friday, European officials said that Greece, Ireland and Portugal's sovereign debt problems may be worse than previously believed.

NYMEX June gasoline settled at $3.0744 a gallon, up 1.05 cents, or 0.34 percent, after trading in a range of $3.0342 to $3.1388.

For the week, front-month RBOB fell 1.57 cents, or 0.5 percent.

NYMEX June heating oil closed at $2.9422 a gallon, rising 2.85 cents, or 1 percent.

Front-month heating oil for last week was up 9.65 cents.

Halliburton (HAL) closed Friday at $46.00, falling $0.64, or 1.37 percent.

Exco Resources Inc. (XCO) Trades Up While Oil, Gas Rise

Crude oil, natural gas and gasoline prices jumped Tuesday, pushing up the share price of Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO).

Benchmark crude for May delivery rose $1.33 to settle at $103.88 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Heating oil jumped 3.94 cents to settle at $3.0012 a gallon. Gasoline futures climbed 10.13 cents to settle at $3.3797 a gallon, while natural gas for June delivery increased 8.7 cents to settle at $4.303 per 1,000 cubic feet.

EXCO Resources, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas company which participates in the exploration, exploitation, development, and production of onshore oil and natural gas properties in North America.

Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO) closed at $20.49, gaining $0.09, or 0.44 percent.

Exco (XCO) (KMP) (EPD) (PQ) (CAM) Trade Mixed as Oil Prices Jump

Most oil and related companies performed strong Monday as Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO), Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE:KMP), Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD), PetroQuest Energy (NYSE:PQ) and Cameron International (NYSE:CAM) traded mixed as the price of oil rebounded.

Crude oil for June delivery climbed $5.37 to settle at $102.55 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the largest one-day boost since February 22.

Brent crude for June settlement jumped $6.77, or 6.2 percent, to $115.90 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

Wholesale gasoline prices soared 5 percent on Monday to $3.20 a gallon on fears that refineries in Mississippi may have to shut down because of the Mississippi River flooding.

The average U.S. price of a gallon of regular gasoline Monday fell by a penny to $3.96, according to AAA.

Immediate delivery futures of Texas crude oil rose $5.53 to $102.71 a barrel. Natural gas was up 0.06 cents to $4.17 per mbtu, while gasoline prices fell 20.17 cents to 329.18 cents a gallon.

Cameron International (CAM) closed Monday at $49.51, climbing $1.44, or 3.00 percent.

Shares of (MRO) (XCO) (HNR) (FTI) (HAL) Trade Mixed as Oil Closed Down 15% Last Week

Companies exposed to oil and the industry traded mixed to end the week, as oil prices plummeted 15 percent last week, taking Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO), Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO), Harvest Natural Resources (NYSE:HNR), FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:FTI) and Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), and others, down with it.

Light, sweet crude oil for June delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange dropped $2.62 to settle at $97.18 a barrel, matching the eight-week low of March 15. The U.S. Oil Fund (USO) closed down 1.1 percent on Friday.

For the week, the June oil futures contract fell 14.7 percent to $113.93.

Light, sweet crude for June delivery fell $2.62, or 2.6%, to close at $97.18 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

In London, Brent crude finished the day off $1.67 at $109.13 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

Republicans went on the offensive against higher oil and gas prices by passing a bill to hasten the leasing process dragging on in the Gulf of Mexico as the Obama administration drag their feet on taking action. The bill would also require leasing to be allowed off the coast of Virginia.

According to Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), the bill helped push down the price of oil as it sent a message to the market they're serious about the future supply.

All Obama has done so far has obsessed on the fantasy of green, clean or so-called alternative energy; a dubious matter at best, and at worst, ignoring what they country needs now and is available to it.

In other Nymex trading for June contracts, heating oil fell 4.12 cents to $2.8457 a U.S. gallon and gasoline futures were down 0.53 cents to $3.0901 a U.S. gallon. Natural gas fell 3.4 cents to $4.297 per 1,000 cubic feet.

FMC Technologies, Inc. (FTI) closed Friday at $42.04, dropping $0.61, or 1.43 percent.

Petrobras (PBR) (:EGY) (XCO) (HES) Trade Down on Slowing Oil Demand

Oil companies and other industry-related companies Petrobras (NYSE:PBR), Vaalco Energy (NYSE:EGY), Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO) and Hess Corporation (NYSE:HES) all closed down Wednesday as oil prices took a breather.

Oil prices dropped after a government report showed that inventories are growing as demand softens in the U.S. Benchmark crude for June delivery was down $1.81 to settle at $109.24 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

In other NYMEX trading for June contracts, heating oil fell 4.78 cents to settle at $3.143 a gallon, gasoline futures lost 0.69 cent to $3.3225 a gallon and natural gas was lower by 9.4 cents to $4.644 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The U.S. dollar index dropped 0.15 percent to $73.01, down from Tuesday's 73.127 close. The dollar index has fallen 7.5 percent so far in 2011.

Hess Corporation (HES) closed Wednesday at $77.43, falling $2.40, or 3.01 percent.

Exco (XCO) (BOLT) (CXPO) (END) (MRO) Trade Mixed on Volatile Energy Day

Shares of Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO), Bolt Technology Corp. (NASDAQ:BOLT), Crimson Exploration (NASDAQ:CXPO), Endeavour International (NYSE:END) and Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) closed Mixed on the uncertainty following the death of Osama bin Laden.

Crude futures settled lower Monday after the death of Osama bin Laden stirred up oil markets, as traders attempted to measure the impact of the event on the stability in the Middle East.

Light, sweet crude for June delivery settled 41 cents, or 0.4%, lower at $113.52 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, in a volatile session that saw both two-and-a-half year highs near $115 a barrel and a decline to $110.82 a barrel.

Brent crude on the ICE futures exchange closed 77 cents lower at $125.12 a barrel.

Front-month June reformulated gasoline blendstock, or RBOB, settled 5.05 cents, or 1.5 percent down at $3.3479 a gallon. June heating oil settled 2.37 cents, or 0.7 percent lower at $3.2521 a gallon.

Exco Resources Inc. closed Monday at $20.86, dropping $0.09, or 0.43 percent.

Chesapeake (CHK) (XCO) (CRZO) (UPL) Trade Up on Gas, Oil Price Jumps

Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO), Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE:CHK), Carrizo Oil & Gas (NASDAQ:CRZO) and Ultra Petroleum (NYSE:UPL) close up Friday as oil and gasoline prices jump again.

Nymex light, sweet crude oil for June delivery rose $1.07 a barrel, to $113.93 a barrel. That's the highest close in two-a-half-years.

On Nymex, reformulated gasoline blendstock futures for May delivery expired at $3.4648 a gallon, up 3.5 cents Friday. That is the highest level since July 14, 2008. Prices have soared 23.17 cents, or 7.2 percent, over the past week.

AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report said the nationwide average price of regular gasoline was $3.909 a gallon Friday, up 6.1 cents from last week.

May heating oil expired at $3.2558 a gallon, up 2.42 cents, and the highest since April 8.

Tightening inventory and higher gasoline prices continue to push oil prices up. Another major factor, as it is with most commodities, is the ongoing collapse of the U.S. dollar. That will continue based on Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke's comments he's not going to raise interest rates.

Chesapeake closed Friday at $33.67, gaining $0.45, or 1.35 percent.

Exco (XCO) (BPL) (RRC) (PETD) Close Up as Oil Settles at $112.21

Buckeye Partners L.P. (NYSE:BPL), Range Resources (NYSE:RRC), PDC Energy (NASDAQ::PETD) and Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO) closed up Tuesday as oil for June delivery fell below the $112.21 it settled at, as the American Petroleum Institute reported at 4:30 PM EDT that U.S. crude-oil stockpiles soared 4.91 million barrels to 361 million. Apache was the only company of the four trading in the black Tuesday.

Oil for June delivery settled at $112.21 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil has risen 33 percent in the past year.

Prices dropped from the settlement after the American Petroleum Institute reported at 4:30 p.m. that U.S. crude-oil stockpiles soared 4.91 million barrels to 361 million. June oil was down 49 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $111.79 a barrel in electronic trading at 4:32 PM EDT.

Brent crude for June settlement on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange jumped 48 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $124.14 a barrel.

The dollar fell for a sixth day against the euro, equaling the longest losing streak since May 2009. Expectations are the Federal Reserve will continue to keep measures in to allegedly support the U.S. economy.

Gasoline climbed over 53 cents a gallon from January to March as unrest in Libya threatened its oil fields and helped push oil from $91 to $107 a barrel. The national average for gasoline is closing in on $3.90 a gallon. Diesel is at about $4.14.

Oil averaged $94.64 a barrel between January and March, compared with $78.89 in the same period last year.

Natural gas prices continue to stay low in comparison to three years ago. It's now trading at $4.38 per 1,000 cubic feet. In April 2008, natural gas contracts generated over twice that.

Vaalco (EGY) (SLB) (MRO) (COP) Close Down as Oil Prices Pull Back

Oil prices will probably keep climbing toward the highs of 2008 as growing demand isn't matched by additional supplies and the price jump has been slow to cut into consumption, as Range Resources (NYSE:RRC), Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO), Cameron International (NYSE:CAM) and Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) closed down Monday, April 25.

The front-month Brent crude-oil futures contract, the London benchmark, pulled back from a 2½-year high of $127 a barrel on April 11, amid concerns that soaring prices are hurting demand. It settled at $123.66 a barrel on Monday, up 5.4 percent so far in April. The front-month June contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange pulled back one cent to $112.28, still up 5.2 percent this month and 23 percent in 2011.

Benchmark crude for June delivery dropped a penny to settle at $112.28 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent crude fell 33 cents to settle at $123.66 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

In other Nymex trading, heating oil was down 1.73 cents to settle at $3.1989 a gallon and gasoline futures increased a little less than a penny to settle at $3.2785 a gallon. Natural gas dropped 2.3 cents to $4.389 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Hess (HES) (HK) (XCO) (APC) Close Up as Oil Prices Explode

Shares of Hess Corporation (NYSE:HES), Petrohawk Energy Corp. (NYSE:HK), Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO) and Anadarko (NYSE:APC) closed up on Wednesday as oil prices surged in response to news oil inventories unexpectedly dropped.

Oil prices exploded on Wednesday to roar above the $111 a barrel mark, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration announced oil inventories fell by 2.3 million barrels for the week ending April 15.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May delivery for West Texas Intermediate crude rose $3.17 or 2.93 percent to reach $111.45 a barrel.

The weakness of the U.S. dollar helped boost a number of commodities, including oil, as the U.S. dollar index dropped 0.91 on Wednesday.

Home heating oil prices increased 6.29 cents to $3.2214 a gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline prices rose 4.42 cents to $3.2773 a gallon.

Henry Hub natural gas prices jumped 4.8 cents to $4.31 per million British thermal units.

The national average price of unleaded gasoline climbed to $3.837 a gallon Wednesday, up from Tuesday's $3.835, according to AAA.

Anadarko closed Wednesday at $80.15, up $1.73, or 1.74 percent. Exco Resources Inc. closed at $20.40, gaining $0.12, or 0.59 percent. Petrohawk Energy Corp. ended the trading session at $26.91, rising $0.29, or 1.09 percent. Hess Corporation closed at $80.55, jumping $1.99, or 2.53 percent.

Devon Energy (DVN) (XCO) (ECA) (SLB) Close Down as Oil, Gas Prices Fall

With anticipation the demand for crude oil and gasoline will drop because of high prices, Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), Exco Resources Inc. (NYSE:XCO), Encana Corp. (NYSE:ECA) and Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB) all closed down Monday, as the overall sector was under pressure.

Crude-oil futures dropped Monday as investors were worried about the possibility for slowing demand for oil after debt-ratings company Standard & Poor’s slashed its outlook on the U.S. government’s credit rating which resulted in a move away from stocks and growth-leveraged commodities.

Benchmark light, sweet crude for May delivery fell $2.54, or 2.3%, to $107.12 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. That ended a three-day winning streak for oil.

Gasoline for May delivery on Monday was down 4 cents, or 1.1%, to $3.25 a gallon.

May heating oil fell 4 cents, or 1.3%, to $3.18 a gallon.

May natural gas was lower by 7 cents, or 1.6%, to $4.14 per million British thermal units.

Schlumberger closed Monday at $84.75, down $1.91, or 2.20 percent. Encana Corp. ended the day at $32.51, falling $0.44, or 1.34 percent. Exco Resources Inc. closed at $20.37, dropping $0.29, or 1.40 percent. Devon Energy closed at $86.19, losing $1.63, or 1.86 percent.