BP Reports $3.2 Billion Q1 2026 Profit
BP reported first-quarter profits of $3.2 billion, more than double the previous year's figure, driven by exceptional oil trading performance amid volatility from the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. Oil prices have risen sharply since the conflict began, with Brent crude reaching about $110 per barrel. The results mark the first under new CEO Meg O'Neill.
Lewis Clarke / Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 2.0)-Israel war with Iran. 5 billion compared to $103 million a year earlier. BP stated that upstream production remained flat in the first quarter but expects lower output between April and June 2026, partly due to disruption in the Middle East.
S. 5 per barrel. 92% on Monday, May 2, 2026, extending its rally to a seventh straight day and climbing above $110 for the first time in three weeks after the White House reiterated 'red lines' in negotiations with Tehran.
The Strait of Hormuz, which usually carries about 20% of global supplies of oil and liquid natural gas, has been effectively closed since the war began before April 2026. Before the conflict, Brent crude traded at around $73 per barrel; since then, it has risen to nearly $120 at one point and fallen below $100 at another, currently standing at about $110 per barrel.
BP's share price rose 3% on Tuesday, May 2, 2026, and has increased by about 20% since the war started.
1% gain. The results are the first under BP's new chief executive, Meg O'Neill, who took over at the beginning of April 2026 after Murray Auchincloss left the role after less than two years. O'Neill said she had joined 'at a time when our industry is operating in an environment of conflict and complexity' and added that BP had been 'working with customers and governments to get fuel where it's needed, helping minimize disruption'.
Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, said BP's trading division had 'clearly thrived in an environment of wild swings, leading to high velocity trading,' but noted that production was 'not immune to the damage and destruction wreaked on facilities across the Gulf'.
Charles Hall, head of research at Peel Hunt, said BP was being cautious about the second quarter, adding that while the strong trading performance was 'probably going to last a little bit longer,' 'there are other things going on and obviously it's a pretty uncertain world at the moment'.
Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said: 'Just as we saw in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, fossil fuel giants are quids-in when global instability drastically inflates fuel prices.
K. K. needed to reduce vulnerability to energy price shocks by increasing investment in renewable energy and supporting energy efficiency measures.
4% over 24 hours after rejecting $79,400 the previous day, with the entire top 10 cryptocurrencies closing red amid the oil rally. K. households remain protected by the energy price cap until June 30, 2026, with the typical annual bill for dual-fuel direct debit households at £1,641.
However, the cap is estimated to rise by about £200 in July due to higher wholesale prices since the war began. K. K.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
6 events- 2026-05-02
BP's share price rose 3% on Tuesday.
1 sourceBBC News - 2026-05-02
Bitcoin traded at $76,923 on Tuesday morning, down 2.4% over 24 hours.
1 sourceCoinDesk - 2026-05-01
Bitcoin rejected $79,400 the previous day.
1 sourceCoinDesk - 2026-04-01
Meg O'Neill took over as BP's chief executive.
1 sourceBBC News - Before 2026-04
The U.S.-Israel war with Iran began, closing the Strait of Hormuz.
2 sourcesBBC News · Financial Times - 2026-01 to 2026-03
BP recorded Q1 profits of $3.2 billion.
1 sourceBBC News
Potential Impact
- 01
Increased profits for oil trading businesses due to price swings.
- 02
Higher U.K. energy bills, with the price cap estimated to rise by £200 in July 2026.
- 03
Outperformance of Energy Sector ETFs over broader market indices.
- 04
Lower BP production in Q2 2026 due to Middle East disruption.
- 05
Continued volatility in cryptocurrency markets, with Bitcoin and top 10 coins declining amid oil rally.
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