BP 'considering' deferring dividend payment

Reports suggest the oil giant is preparing to put off paying its next dividend to shareholders by placing the money in an escrow account until the full scale of the company’s liabilities from the Gulf of Mexico disaster can be determined. A BP spokesperson confirmed the company is considering sacrificing the next dividend. Earlier the Times reported BP board members were discussing a plan which would see the expected £1.7bn second-quarter payout, due to be announced on July 27, delayed until the crisis can be brought under control. The move is thought to be an attempt to relieve so...