PetroChina briefly became the world’s most valuable company after its 2007 Shanghai listing.
PetroChina’s A-share listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in November 2007 triggered enormous investor demand. On its first trading day, the company’s market capitalization briefly exceeded $1 trillion, placing it above ExxonMobil and other global corporations by that measure.
The valuation did not remain at that level. PetroChina’s shares fell substantially after the initial surge, illustrating why market capitalization records can be temporary and why an opening-day valuation may differ sharply from a company’s longer-term value.
PetroChina is the publicly traded arm of China National Petroleum Corporation, one of China’s major state-owned energy groups. Its activities include exploration, production, refining, chemicals, pipelines, and petroleum sales. The company’s A shares trade in Shanghai, while its H shares are listed in Hong Kong.