War, Strife Boost BP to Record Profits

Tue April 29, 2003 05:08 AM ET

LONDON (<a href=asia.reuters.com>Reuters) - Giant British oil firm BP Plc delivered its biggest ever quarterly profit on Tuesday boosted by war in Iraq, strikes in Venezuela and unrest in Nigeria.

Net profit adjusted for exceptional items and to reflect the current cost of supplies grew 136 percent from a year earlier to $3.729 billion, at the top end of analysts' expectations, as supply concerns linked to events in these three key producing nations boosted the price of crude oil.