** S&P 500 energy sector index .SPNY on track for fifth-straight month of gains as oil prices rally on supply disruptions from the Middle East
** The sector is the only one among the 11 S&P 500 sectors that is on pace to log gains this month and March would mark its longest monthly streak of gains since the period between Nov. 2020 and June 2021
** Sector also on track to mark its biggest quarterly jump of 39% on record, as of last close, and is trading close to a record high
** Shares of APA APA.O have jumped 44% this month, while Occidental OXY.N, Marathon MPC.N, Valero VLO.N and EOG Resources EOG.N have gained over 20% as of last close
** APA, Occidental, Marathon, Valero, EOG up marginally on Tuesday; Brent oil futures set for record monthly gains
** Barclays upgraded the U.S. energy sector to "neutral" from "negative" earlier this month
** Expectations of higher windfalls from potential Venezuelan operations and investments also aided the sector earlier this year
** SPNY starkly outperforms the S&P 500 .SPX on a year-do-date basis; the Wall St benchmark is down over 7%
(Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru)
((johann.mcherian@thomsonreuters.com;))
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