09:13 AM EDT, 04/05/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were rising premarket Friday with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) recently gaining 0.4%.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was 0.2% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) retreated 0.7%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.1% at $86.64 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea crude oil rose 0.2% to $90.87 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 0.5% at $1.77 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Shell (SHEL) said it expects "significantly lower" Q1 results in its liquefied natural gas business compared with its "exceptional" Q4. The company's shares were up 0.4% pre-bell Friday.

Duke Energy ( DUK ) shares rose 0.1% after the company said that it agreed to sell its 50% ownership interest in Pioneer Transmission to John Laing Group, an investor and manager of infrastructure assets.

Woodside Energy's ( WDS ) Chairman Richard Goyder is facing ouster calls from proxy adviser CGI Glass Lewis, which is recommending the company's shareholders vote against the re-election of Goyder, according to a Glass Lewis report. Woodside shares were up 0.4% pre-bell Friday.