09:28 AM EST, 12/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks declined premarket Monday as the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) recently fell by 1%.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was down 0.3% and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was over 1.1% lower.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 0.2% lower at $69.32 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil lost 0.3% to $72.36 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 1% at $3.38 per 1 million British Thermal Units.

Petrobras (PBR) shares were 0.5% lower after the company said in a regulatory filing that it notified Brava Energia on Saturday of its decision to terminate the contract for the assignment of its stake in the Urugua and Tamba fields.

Vermilion Energy ( VET ) shares were down more than 1% after the company said it has agreed to acquire Westbrick Energy for $1.08 billion in cash.

Equinor ( EQNR ) shares were up 0.6% after the company said it has increased its stake in Orsted by 0.2% to 10% after receiving regulatory approvals.