09:25 AM EDT, 07/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were rising premarket Friday, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) 1.1% higher recently.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was 1% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was up 1.7%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 1.1% higher at $68.26 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil gained 0.9% to $70.14 per barrel, and natural gas futures were 2.1% higher at $3.62 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Chevron ( CVX ) shares were up more than 3% after the company said it has completed its acquisition of Hess (HES). The deal was closed following what the company described as a "favorable arbitration outcome" regarding Hess' offshore assets in Guyana. Hess shares were up more than 7% pre-bell.

Schlumberger ( SLB ) shares were up more than 1% after the company reported Q2 non-GAAP earnings that topped analysts' expectations.

BP (BP) shares were up more than 1% after the company said it has agreed to sell its US onshore wind business, BP Wind Energy North America, to LS Power.