Artemis Asset Management is set to launch the Artemis Global Energy Fund in April, investing primarily in the oil and gas sector, energy transmission, generation and renewables.

Managed by Artemis co-founder John Dodd, the fund will invest in around 30 stocks, aiming to give investors long-term capital growth across these sectors.

The portfolio will invest across the world, and its benchmark will be the MSCI All Countries Energy Index.

The fund charges an initial fee of 5.25 per cent with a 1.5 per cent annual management charge.

Gordon Kearney, director of Fiducia Wealth Management, says the fund looks ‘very interesting and timely’ and Dodd’s background of working on the UK Smaller Companies fund will be useful for the new launch.

He comments: ‘It is evident that the advent of China/India has brought about long-term structural changes to the dynamics of global energy demand and that higher energy prices are here to stay.

‘That said, this fund should only really be considered for higher risk portfolios, or as a satellite in a core satellite strategy.

‘The fund’s inclusion of renewable energy is interesting but is likely to increase the volatility as invariably this will lead to the inclusion of smaller cap stocks to gain this exposure.’

Kearney also warns about the uncertainty in North Africa and the Middle East, and says he would be inclined to hold off investing in this fund at launch. However, he adds: ‘It will certainly be on our watch list going forward.’