Shares of BP continued to slide Thursday in London as political pressure mounted over the spill in the Gulf of Mexico and investors were shaken by the prospect that the British oil giant might cut its dividend.

BP shares opened down sharply in London, dropping 12 percent to a 13-year low before recovering to trade down about 5 percent by early afternoon. BP's shares in London have fallen about 42 percent since the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20.

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