08:56 AM EDT, 03/26/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks advanced premarket Wednesday with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) 0.8% higher recently.

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

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.7% at $69.51 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil gained 0.8% to $73.57 per barrel, and natural gas futures were 0.2% higher at $3.85 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Chevron ( CVX ) has indicated interest in exploring hydrocarbon at two more offshore blocks off the Greek island of Crete, Greece's Minister of Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou said. Shares of Chevron ( CVX ) were 0.9% higher pre-bell.