-- Energy stocks were higher premarket Tuesday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) gaining 1.4%.
The United States Oil Fund (USO) rose 3.9%, while The United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.1% higher.
Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 4.4% at $100.56 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil rose 3.5% to $112.06 per barrel, and natural gas futures were 0.9% lower at $2.53 per 1 million British Thermal Units.
BP (BP) stock was more than 2% higher before the opening bell after the company reported higher Q1 underlying replacement cost profit and sales.
Shell (SHEL) shares were 2% higher in premarket activity after the company agreed to acquire Canadian energy firm ARC Resources in a transaction valued at about $16.17 billion.
Petrobras (PBR) stock rose 1% before the opening bell after the company agreed to acquire 100% of a portion of the Argonauta Field in the Campos Basin, which is currently owned by Shell (SHEL), ONGC, and Brava, for 700 million Brazilian reais ($140.1 million) and $150 million in cash.