Bloomberg PetroChina Co. is rewarding shareholders with a higher — and symbolic — payout after its best half-year profit in more than three years. The nation’s biggest oil and gas producer raised total dividends for the first six months by almost one-third to 0.0888 yuan per share. The lucky payout — eight is widely considered an auspicious number in China …

Bloomberg California isn’t ready yet to give up autonomy when it comes to its electric grid. State lawmakers declined to advance legislation that would have laid the groundwork to connect California’s grid to as many as 13 other states. Under the measure, a multi-state regional authority would have managed the flow of power across the U.S. West, allowing more electricity …

Bloomberg Penn Virginia Corp. has reached out to potential buyers including Hilcorp Energy Co. and WildHorse Resource Development Corp. ahead of a sale process slated to start next month, according to people familiar with the matter. The Houston, Texas-based company will open a data room and solicit initial bids in September, said the people, who asked to not be identified …