09:22 AM EDT, 09/04/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were leaning lower pre-bell Thursday, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) declining by 0.4%.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was 1.4% lower and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was up 0.9%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 1.4% lower at $63.10 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil lost 1.4% to $66.66 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 1.6% at $3.11 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

NextDecade ( NEXT ) shares were up more than 5% after the company said it entered a 20-year deal to deliver 1.5 million metric tons per annum of liquefied natural gas to EQT (EQT) from its planned Rio Grande LNG Train 5 facility in Texas.

Exxon Mobil (XOM) is exploring a potential sale of chemical plants in the UK and Belgium as the sector struggles from US tariffs and increased competition from China, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Exxon Mobil shares were 0.3% lower pre-bell.

Scorpio Tankers (STNG) stock was 0.3% higher after the company said it entered a five-year agreement to charter-out its STI Orchard Long Range 2 product tanker.