08:59 AM EDT, 05/16/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were leaning lower premarket Thursday with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) recently down 0.2%.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was 0.5% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was up 2.1%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.8% at $79.23 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea crude oil gained 0.5% to $83.19 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 1.6% at $2.45 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

SilverBow Resources ( SBOW ) advanced more than 11 amid a deal for Crescent Energy ( CRGY ) to buy the company for $2.10 billion.