Two-thirds of the UK public believe that investments in fossil fuels are becoming increasingly risky

More evidence that sentiment towards hydrocarbon stocks is turning in the weekend’s FT. This prevailing view is most strongly held in the 18-34 age group, something that should really worry the oil and gas industry. This isn’t people shunning such investments on ethical grounds.This is a belief that buying oil and gas stocks will result in a loss of capital, something far more damaging for investment than concerns about carbon emissions.

If such views become entrenched, the hydrocarbon industry faces a death spiral where a decrease in investment leads to further falls in investment. It wasn’t so long ago that any prudent fund manager considered stocks such as BP, Shell, Exxon etc as gold standard, blue-chip stocks which could safely be recommended to widows and orphans.The old order changeth….

You can read the article in the Financial Times.