By John McKay
Investment bankers in Europe have tipped Russias Gazprom, Norways Statoil, Frances Total, and BP and BG Group of the UK as the best medium-term buys for stock market investors in the energy sector, citing their liquefied natural gas activities as a positive sign.
Shares in Gazprom, which is the premium pick of most brokers, have surged to records in the New Year as the Russian natural gas monopoly and future LNG heavy-hitter has forecast a 10 percent rise in annual profits to more than $6 billion.