09:19 AM EDT, 03/19/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were declining premarket Wednesday, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) 0.1% lower.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was 0.1% higher and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was up 2.6%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 0.1% at $66.82 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil lost 0.1% to reach $70.52 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 2% at $4.13 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Nabors Industries ( NBR ) shares were down 0.2% after the company said CFO William Restrepo will retire on Sept. 30.

NiSource ( NI ) shares rose 0.7% in premarket activity Wednesday after the company maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.28 per share, payable May 20 to stockholders of record April 30.

US President Donald Trump is set to host a meeting with top oil executives at the White House on Wednesday to discuss plans to boost domestic energy production as crude prices fall and trade wars loom, Reuters reported Wednesday. The gathering will include members of the American Petroleum Institute's executive committee, such as Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) CEO Darren Woods, Chevron ( CVX ) CEO Mike Wirth, ConocoPhillips ( COP ) CEO Ryan Lance, Phillips 66 (PSX) CEO Mark Lashier, and Marathon Petroleum ( MPC ) CEO Maryann Mannen, according to Reuters.

Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) edged up 0.1%, Chevron ( CVX ) gained 0.1%, ConocoPhillips ( COP ) was down 0.3%, Phillips 66 was down 0.1% and Marathon Petroleum ( MPC ) rose 0.4% pre-bell Wednesday.