Breakingviews – Weakened Shell offers dim hope for pre-virus glory
LONDON (Reuters Breakingviews) – Oil majors may be past the worst of the coronavirus-induced crash, but the recovery is likely to be long and arduous. Royal Dutch Shell, Chief Executive Ben van Beurden on Thursday said the $122 billion company’s sales fell by nearly two-thirds in the second quarter, as crude prices collapsed during lockdowns. The pandemic will leave a legacy of rising debt, diminished investment and uncertain demand. Juicy investor payouts are the natural sacrifice.