Earnings season continues, and investors have some high expectations for some of the major companies reporting next week such as BP and Uber. In the UK, investors eagerly await the Bank of England’s latest decision on interest rates. Thus far, 78% of S&P 500 (^GSPC) companies have reported their earnings, with 77% delivering an earnings beat. In the Middle East, the world’s most profitable company Saudi Aramco will show if oil is still king. Here's what to look out for: Analysts expect BP's profits to slow due to a lower oil price, weaker refining margins and concerns over its energy transition strategy. The refining margin is seen shrinking almost 30% to $20.10 per barrel, consensus shows. The first-quarter $1.75bn buyback tranche expected to be repeated in the second quarter, according to Bloomberg. Revenues for the first quarter are forecast to be around $49,315bn, a significant decrease from around $56,951bn in Q1 2023 with pre-tax profits dropping from $8,535bn in Q1 2023 to $6,371bn in Q1 2024. Earnings per share are estimated to come in at $0.18, down from $0.27 per share last year, according to IG. Investors will look at four headline figures when they assess the first-quarter results, said...