The little engine that could, and the oil giant that couldn’t

Last December, when a week-old hedge fund named Engine No. 1 challenged Exxon Mobil to change its ways, laughter echoed through Wall Street circles, from the fund’s name that recalled a famous children’s book to its tiny, then-$40 million stake in what was once the world’s largest publicly traded company.

Saudi Aramco beats quarterly profit forecast, maintains dividend

State-run oil producer Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) beat analysts’ forecasts on Tuesday with a 30% rise in first-quarter net profit and maintained its dividend payout, helped by strong oil prices. Earnings by global energy companies such as Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) have climbed on the back of rising crude prices, which are up by about a third this year, as fuel […]