09:18 AM EDT, 08/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher premarket Friday with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) recently advancing by 0.4%.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was 1.7% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was down 1.9%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 1.7% at $74.27 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil gained 1.5% to $78.36 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 1.9% at $2.01 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

SM Energy ( SM ) shares were up over 1% after saying it expects to complete the acquisition of Uinta Basin oil and gas assets from XCL Resources on Oct. 1 after a 30-day review period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust act expired Wednesday.

Halliburton ( HAL ) has confirmed that an unauthorized third party had gained access to certain of its systems. Halliburton ( HAL ) shares were up 0.60% premarket.