09:05 AM EST, 11/29/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher premarket Friday as the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) recently advanced by 0.2%.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was up 0.6% and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 4.5% higher.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 0.7% higher at $69.22 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil rose 0.2% to $72.95 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 3.9% at $3.33 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

GeoPark ( GPRK ) shares were up more than 3% after the company said it agreed to acquire Repsol Exploracion's upstream oil and gas assets in Colombia for consideration of about $530 million.