09:25 AM EDT, 08/07/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were declining premarket Friday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLE ) 0.8% lower.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was down 1% and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was 1.7% higher.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 0.7% lower at $76.76 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil fell 0.8% to $81.82 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 0.9% at $2.66 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Plains All American Pipeline ( PAA ) stock was down 0.1% even after the company posted higher Q2 adjusted net income and revenue.

NextEra Energy ( NEE/PW ) and Dominion Energy's ( D ) proposed $67 billion merger will face intervention from Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, marking the first time a governor has taken such action before the state's regulatory commission, multiple outlets reported. NextEra Energy ( NEE/PW ) stock was 0.2% lower and Dominion Energy ( D ) shares were up 0.4% premarket.