Energy & oil shares, explained

Energy companies find, produce and supply the oil, gas and power that everything else runs on. Many are long-standing dividend payers, which is why income-minded investors watch them closely.

Their profits ride the price of energy, which swings widely - so a high dividend yield here is a cyclical-industry yield, not a savings rate. The long-term shift away from fossil fuels is a genuine open question for the sector. Each name links to its explainer.