09:05 AM EDT, 03/31/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks leaned lower premarket Monday with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) recently down 0.1%.

The United States Oil Fund (USO) was up 1% and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 2.7% higher.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 0.6% at $69.76 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil rose by 0.5% to $73.11 per barrel, and natural gas futures were 3.1% higher at $4.19 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Equinor ( EQNR ) shares advanced by 0.6% after the company said the Johan Castberg oil field, which it operates with a 46.3% ownership stake, has started production.