09:06 AM EDT, 04/09/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher premarket Tuesday with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) recently advancing slightly.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was 0.3% lower and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was up 2.2%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was marginally up at $86.44 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea crude oil slightly advanced 0.3% to $90.66 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 2.1% at $1.88 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

TotalEnergies (TTE) said it entered into a preliminary agreement with Algerian state-owned oil company Sonatrach to conclude a hydrocarbon contract in the Timimoun region. TotalEnergies shares were up 0.3% pre-bell.