09:05 AM EDT, 06/17/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were leaning lower pre-bell Wednesday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) down 0.1%.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was down 0.4% and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 1.4% lower.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 0.7% higher at $76.58 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil rose 0.8% to $79.60 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 1.2% at $3.20 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Western Midstream Partners ( WES ) shares were up more than 1% after the company said the second produced-water treatment pilot facility in its joint industry project has begun operations in Reeves County, Texas, in the Permian Basin.