DOW JONES NEWSWIRES The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into unusual trading in the shares of BP PLC (BP, BP.LN) between April 20 and late June, CNBC's Kate Kelly reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The SEC's focus in the informal investigation is on whether third parties, such as hedge funds, were trading in a way that indicated they had inside information on the status of efforts to stem BP's well leak in the Gulf of Mexico, Kelly reported, citing one person. April 20 was the day the BP-operated Deepwater Horizon rig caught fire, killing 11 workers. It sank two days later. The blowout in mile-deep water caused a leak that entered its 100th day Wednesday and has spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf. BP managed to stop the leak before temporarily capping it about two weeks ago. Website: www.cnbc.com -Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2900 Order free Annual Report for BP plc Visit http://djnewswires.ar.wilink.com/?link=BP or call 1-888-301-0513 Order free Annual Report for Transocean Inc. Visit http://djnewswires.ar.wilink.com/?link=RIG or call 1-888-301-0513 (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 28, 2010 12:45 ET (16:45 GMT)