Sector Update: Energy Stocks Lean Lower Premarket Wednesday

09:26 AM EDT, 10/21/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were leaning lower premarket Wednesday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) marginally declining. The United States Oil Fund (USO) was down 0.9% and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 5.1% lower. Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 0.8% lower at $97.09 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil fell 0.8% to $107.97 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 4.1% at $2.84 per 1 million British Thermal Units. Shell (SHEL) and Equinor (EQNR) have secured Britain's approval for the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea to begin supplying gas to British homes and businesses as early as the end of October, the UK government said. Shell stock was 0.1% lower and Equinor shares were 0.3% higher premarket. Eni (E) and Snam's joint Ravenna CCS Phase 2 project has been selected by the European Commission for funding under a 2025 innovation fund called Net-Zero Technologies, the companies said. Eni stock was 0.4% higher pre-bell. Woodside Energy (WDS) stock was up 0.3% after the company posted higher Q3 revenue and revised its 2026 production guidance.