During the past 18 months, many banks once regarded as top oil dealers have pulled back from commodities, including Barclays, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan, pressured by regulatory changes and unfavourable markets. Against that backdrop, BNP Paribas stands out for its consistency, winning praise from clients for making markets and developing innovative solutions in difficult conditions.

"The impression they leave is that they are in the business to stay," says a senior oil trader with an Italian