ExxonMobil became the world's biggest company by stock market value on Friday as a jump in its share price pushed the oil giant past long-time leader General Electric. Based on midday trading prices, ExxonMobil's market capitalisation hit 381.8 billion dollars, to 378.2 billion for General Electric. ExxonMobil, which is the world's biggest oil company, has seen its share price jump some 40 percent over the past year in tandem with surging crude oil prices.

General Electric, a conglomerate involved in manufacturing, media and finance, has seen its value rise about 11 percent over the past year.

Microsoft had overtaken General Electric as the biggest company by market value for several months during the Internet boom of the late 1990s.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2005