09:20 AM EDT, 09/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher premarket Tuesday, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) advancing by 0.4%.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was 1.1% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was up 1.2%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 1.1% higher at $63.99 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil gained 0.9% to $68.01 per barrel. Natural gas futures were up 1.2% at $3.080 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Shell (SHEL) will have a legal case heard by South Africa's top court Tuesday in the latest round of a legal battle pitting environmental activists against the energy giant, Bloomberg reported. Shell shares were 0.5% higher pre-bell.