Sector Update: Energy Stocks Advance Premarket Friday

09:23 AM EDT, 10/16/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were advancing premarket Friday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) 0.9% higher. The United States Oil Fund (USO) was down 0.3% and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 4.4% lower. Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 0.5% lower at $97.51 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil fell 0.1% to $105.82 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 4.2% at $3.10 per 1 million British Thermal Units. Shell (SHEL) has signed an agreement to sell its mobility business in France to DCC Energy, Reuters reported, citing a person familiar with the matter and documents. Shares of Shell were up more than 1% pre-bell. Equinor (EQNR) has exercised options for two additional wells for the Deepsea Atlantic, extending its firm contract to late Q4 2027, Odfjell Drilling said. Equinor stock was up more than 1% premarket.