(Adds BP no comment, context on oil sector shares)
LONDON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Shares of UK energy major BP rose more than 3 percent on Tuesday afternoon, withseveral traders citing market talk of a takeover bid from rivalRoyal Dutch Shell.
Royal Dutch Shell and BP declined to comment. Shares ofShell were up 2.5 percent.
"BP shares have rallied on the back of enthusiastic buyingon talk of Shell's interest in the company," said ChrisBeauchamp, analyst at IG. "But it seems difficult to believethat Shell would make such a big acquisition at this difficulttime for the oil market."
A fresh slide in the price of crude had wiped tens ofbillions of dollars off oil companies' market value on Fridayand signalled an end to the sector's safe-haven status, as fearsmounted over future profits and dividend payouts. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal, Atul Prakash, Tricia Wright, RonBousso and Dmitry Zhdannikov in London; Editing by AlistairSmout and Pravin Char)
