09:26 AM EDT, 03/11/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Energy stocks were leaning lower premarket Monday, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) down 0.2% recently.

The United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was 0.6% lower, and the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was down 0.9%.

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 0.4% at $77.72 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark Brent lost 0.3% to $81.84 per barrel, and natural-gas futures were 1.4% lower at $1.78 per 1 million BTU.

EQT (EQT) said it was acquiring Equitrans Midstream ( ETRN ) , a company it spun off about six years ago, in an all-stock deal to create a natural gas production and distribution company valued initially at $35 billion. Equitrans Midstream ( ETRN ) was up more than 4%, and EQT was over 6% lower pre-bell.

Amplify Energy ( AMPY ) shares resumed trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday after a halt earlier in the day pending material news. Amplify Energy ( AMPY ) was up more than 13% in recent premarket activity.