09:13 AM EDT, 06/05/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were edging higher in premarket activity Wednesday, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) recently advancing by 0.2%.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was 0.4% higher, and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was up 1.6%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 0.9% at $73.87 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark Brent gained 0.8% to $78.11 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 3.1% at $2.67 per 1 million British BTU.

TotalEnergies (TTE) was more than 1% higher amid a deal with EIG to buy all of West Burton Energy's shares for 450 million British pounds ($575 million).

US prosecutors are attempting to extradite an Israeli private investigator from London as it looks into an alleged hacking-for-hire operation that targeted opponents of Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) and Elliott Management, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing court documents and people familiar with the matter. Exxon was up 0.2% pre-bell.