GENERAL MOTORS PROFIT FALLS 14%

GM reported a 14% drop in its 3Q profit but beat analyst expectations as strength in North America offset weaker results in other regions. Earnings equaled $1.47 billion. Excluding items, EPS was 97c, beating the 95c analysts expected. Shares rose 3% premarket.

COMCAST PROFIT RISES 50%

Comcast's 3Q profit rose 50% to $2.59 billion, or 99c a share, as it benefited from a one-time income-tax adjustment and a boost in earnings at its NBCUniversal entertainment arm. Revenue increased 4% to $16.79 billion.

CATERPILLAR'S RESULTS STRONG; RAISES OUTLOOK

Caterpillar posted stronger-than-expected results for its 3Q and raised its profit outlook for the year. Caterpillar posted a profit of $1.02 billion, or $1.63 a share, on revenue of $13.55 billion. Shares rose 4% premarket.

AIRLINES POST STRONG PROFITS; OUTLOOKS BULLISH

Several U.S. airlines posted stronger third-quarter profits and expressed bullish sentiments for the fourth quarter, based on falling fuel prices, strong holiday bookings, domestic capacity discipline and a slight easing of Ebola jitters.

CREDIT SUISSE PROFIT BEATS MARKET EXPECTATIONS

Credit Suisse Group reported third-quarter net profit of $1.07 billion, a performance that was ahead of analysts' expectations. The Swiss bank's net revenue was $6.85 billion, also ahead of market expectations.

TESCO CHAIRMAN TO STEP DOWN

U.K. retailer Tesco said Chairman Richard Broadbent would step down as it revealed the accounting practices that led to an overstatement of its profit had also occurred in prior periods.

APPLE PLANS TO OPEN MORE STORES IN CHINA

Apple plans to increase the number of its Apple-brand retail stores in Greater China to 40 from 15 within two years, Chief Executive Tim Cook said.

NOKIA OUTLOOK BULLISH AS IT SWINGS TO PROFIT

Nokia's quarterly earnings gave ample evidence that the company's main network unit has moved well beyond several years of painful restructuring.

JANUS PROFIT RISES 25%

Bond kingpin Bill Gross's new home, Janus Capital Group, posted a profit of $40.9 million, or 22c a share, as its revenue and assets under management in the most-recent quarter grew compared with last year's period.

3M PROFIT INCREASES 6% ON STRONG SALES GROWTH

3M posted a profit of $1.3 billion, or $1.98 a share, driven by sales growth of items including water purification systems and industrial adhesives and tapes. Revenue increased 2.8% to $8.14 billion.

UNION PACIFIC PROFIT RISES 19%

Union Pacific reported a profit of $1.37 billion, or $1.53 a share, benefiting from rail freight that has buoyed the sector, as well as core pricing increases. Revenue increased 11% to $6.18 billion.

RIO TINTO EXTENDS CEO, CFO TENURE

Rio Tinto extended the tenure of chief executive Sam Walsh and chief financial officer Chris Lynch, eliminating a layer of uncertainty at Rio Tinto after the company recently became a takeover target of Glencore PLC.

RAYTHEON 3Q PROFIT RISES 5%

Raytheon reported a forecast-beating 5% rise in quarterly profits and lifted its 2014 guidance, completing a clean sweep of outperformance by the top five U.S. defense contractors.

UNILEVER SALES GROWTH SLOWS

Unilever warned of a tough outlook and struck a gloomy tone after reporting worsening sales, raising fears of a broad economic slowdown across emerging markets.

GREAT WALL MOTOR PROFIT SLIDES

The maker of China's top-selling sport-utility vehicle is suffering from falling profits and sales amid product delays and the country's softening car market.

DAIMLER PROFIT SOARS ON ROBUST DEMAND

German auto maker Daimler reported a sharp increase in third-quarter earnings on strong demand for its flagship S-Class sedans and robust growth in Europe, Asia and the U.S.

HYUNDAI MOTOR PROFITS DOWN

Hyundai Motor's third-quarter net profit fell 28%, hurt by a stronger local currency, work stoppages by unionized employees and weak local sales of its new flagship Sonata sedan.

FOXCONN IN TALKS FOR CHINA PLANT INVESTMENT

Foxconn, the company that assembles the bulk of the world's iPhones, is in preliminary talks to build a factory in northern China that would make high-end screens for the phones as well.