09:19 AM EDT, 04/19/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher premarket Friday with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) recently up 0.1%.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was 0.7% lower and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was up 1.8%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 0.5% at $82.33 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea crude oil lost 0.6% to $86.57 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 1.6% at $1.79 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Schlumberger ( SLB ) fell by over 1% even after reporting higher Q1 non-GAAP earnings and revenue.

Western Midstream Partners ( WES ) was up more than 2% after it raised its quarterly dividend to $0.875 per unit, from $0.575, payable on May 15 to holders on record as of May 1.