NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Energy stocks fell Monday on mixed economic signals and lower crude oil prices, despite a hefty acquisition in the Marcellus shale by Consol Energy. While monthly U.S. industrial output rose slightly in February against an expected dip, energy sector investors latched on to a comment on sovereign debt by Moody's Investors Service. The rating agency said risks are growing to the four largest AAA-rated countries: Germany, France, the U.K. and the U.S. Separately, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao cautioned about financial system risks and high global unemployment triggering a double-dip recession. Crude futures fell $1.08 to $80.16 a barrel. Against this backdrop, the NYSE Arca Oil Index (XOI 1,063, -11.03, -1.03%) fell 0.5% to 1,068. The NYSE Arca Natural Gas Index (XNG 545.90, -9.05, -1.63%) dropped 0.7% to 551. The Philadelphia Oil Service Index (OSX 209.77, -2.88, -1.35%) dipped 0.8% to 211. Consol Energy (CNX 49.53, -4.81, -8.84%) fell 7% to $50.54 after it set plans to buy Marcellus shale asset from Dominion Resources (D 39.73, +0.04, +0.10%) for about $3.5 billion in cash. Dominion rose 0.6% to $39.93. Energy stock investors mostly brushed aside the International Energy Agency's upward revision of its estimate for oil demand this year by about 70,000 barrels a day. Also the radar screen, Australia's Arrow Energy is set to reject as too low a $3 billion joint takeover offer from Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A 57.82, -0.43, -0.74%) and PetroChina (PTR 116.72, -2.15, -1.81%) , according to report. Petrohawk Energy Corp. (HK 21.73, -0.46, -2.07%) said Monday it'll sell its interest in Terryville Field in Louisiana to an unnamed private company for $320 million. The sale is the second of four asset packages expected to be sold by the company during 2010. Shares of Petrohawk fell 0.5% to $22.09.

Source