The recent war between Israel and the Palestine-based militant group Hamas has affected the global supply chain. Also, the prevailing war between Russia and Ukraine has prompted several governments, including the Biden administration, to impose sanctions on Russian oil and energy.

Crude prices have gone up on supply concerns from Russia, which is one of the world’s biggest producers of the commodity. Prices have risen further after the U.S. government imposed a ban on the import of oil and other energy products.

Geopolitical tensions are likely to keep markets volatile for some time, with the energy sector making the most of the opportunity. So, investing in funds with exposure to energy equities is likely to help in the near term.

Below, we share with you three top-ranked energy mutual funds, viz., BNY Mellon Natural Resources Fund DNLAX, Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Total Return TORCX and T. Rowe Price New Era PRNEX. Each has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and is expected to outperform its peers in the future. Investors can click here to see the complete list of energy mutual funds.

BNY Mellon Natural Resources Fund invests most of its assets in securities of domestic and foreign companies, including those in emerging markets, with major exposure in natural resources and natural-resources-related sectors, irrespective of any market capitalization. DNLAX advisors choose to invest in growth and value stocks.

BNY Mellon Natural Resources Fund has three-year annualized returns of 17.1%. As of June 2024, DNLAX held 40 issues, with 4.9% of its assets invested in Diamondback Energy.

Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Total Return invests most of its net assets in securities of energy infrastructure companies, focusing on equity securities of midstream infrastructure, midstream master limited partnerships and power and renewable infrastructure.

Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Total Return has three-year annualized returns of 20.4%. Robert J. Thummel has been one of the fund managers of TORCX since July 2013.

T. Rowe Price New Era seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in the common stocks of companies that own or develop natural resources and other basic commodities. PRNEX advisors also invest about two-thirds of its assets in the common stocks of natural resource companies where earnings and tangible assets can benefit from accelerating inflation.

T. Rowe Price New Era has three-year annualized returns of 8.8%. PRNEX has an expense ratio of 0.77% compared to the category average of 1.03%.