Updates

** S&P 500 energy index .SPNY gains 1.7% as oil prices advance O/R

** Brent crude futures LCOc1 jump 5.8%, hitting $99.51/barrel; U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 rises 4.7% to $90.90/barrel

** Prices hit nearly $100/barrel for the first time in more than a month after the Houthi militia of Yemen said they struck two Saudi oil tankers, widening disruption to global oil shipping through both the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz

** Energy majors Exxon XOM.N and Chevron CVX.N each gain ~2%

** Devon Energy DVN.N, Diamondback Energy FANG.O, Ovintiv OVV.N and ConocoPhillips COP.N up between 2.4% and ~3%, among the biggest percentage gainers on the energy index

** Oilfield services companies advance: Baker Hughes BKR.O 1.3%, SLB SLB.N 1%

** Refiners ahead: Marathon Petroleum MPC.N ~2% and Phillips 66 PSX.N 1.6%