BP's share price fell sharply again yesterday, down almost 38 per cent since the start of the Gulf of Mexico oil crisis 50 days ago, after President Barack Obama launched a scathing attack on the company's chief executive saying he wanted to know “whose ass to kick”.
The shares of one of the biggest companies listed on the London market fell more than 30p to 397.90p at one point before recovering slightly to close at 408.9p.
At a shareholders' meeting in London on Monday, BP management was grilled about the progress of relief operations and the success of capping the well, but there was no strong call for Tony Hayward, chief executive, to quit, according to people present.