09:00 AM EDT, 09/24/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were advancing pre-bell Tuesday, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) up 1.2%.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was 1.9% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 1.1% lower.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 2.3% at $71.99 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil rose 2.1% to $75.43 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 0.7% at $2.60 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

The US Federal Trade Commission is set to approve Chevron's ( CVX ) $53 billion acquisition of Hess (HES) as early as this week, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Shares of Chevron ( CVX ) and Hess were up more than 1% premarket.