08:59 AM EDT, 06/10/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were advancing pre-bell Monday as the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) was recently up 0.4%.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was 1.3% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was up 4.1%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 1.1% at $76.37 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil gained 1% to $80.44 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 5.4% at $3.08 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Noble (NE) said it has entered a definitive merger agreement to acquire Diamond Offshore Drilling ( DO ) in a stock plus cash transaction with an implied value of $15.52 per share. Diamond Offshore Drilling ( DO ) advanced by over 9% premarket.