PetroChina became the world’s most valuable listed company during a 2007 stock-market surge in Chinese equities.
PetroChina reached that distinction briefly after its Shanghai listing in November 2007. Its shares rose dramatically on the first trading day, producing a market capitalization that exceeded that of ExxonMobil at the peak of the session.
PetroChina is the listed arm of China National Petroleum Corporation, one of China’s major state-owned energy groups. Its operations cover oil and natural-gas exploration, production, refining, chemicals, marketing, and pipeline transportation.
The 2007 valuation was exceptionally short-lived. PetroChina’s share price later declined, illustrating why rankings based on market capitalization can change quickly and why a brief intraday record should not be treated as a lasting measure of business size or profitability.