The FINANCIAL -- According to RIA Novosti, Russia's largest independent oil producer LUKOIL said on October 29 its net profit calculated under Russian Accounting Standards fell 92%, quarter-on-quarter, in July-September 2009 to 1.76 billion rubles ($59 million).

The FINANCIAL -- Work on a development solution for the Luva find, which lies in 1,300 metres of water in the Norwegian Sea and 300 kilometres from land, is to be continued by operator StatoilHydro .

The FINANCIAL -- Oil and Gas Company Hess Corp. on October 28 said its third-quarter profit tumbled 56 percent, driven by lower oil and gas prices and narrower margins, but the company managed to boost production by 16%.

The FINANCIAL -- Oil company Royal Dutch Shell PLC reported a 73% slide in profits between July and September. The company said a “quick recovery” in energy demand and prices is unlikely.

The FINANCIAL -- Editors at Popular Mechanics on October 28 announced the winners of the magazine’s 2010 Automotive Excellence Awards, and Ford Motor Company set a precedent, winning more categories in a single year than any other automaker in the history of the awards.

The FINANCIAL -- Ford Motor Company [NYSE: F] announced on October 28 that a consortium led by Zhejiang Geely Group Holding Co. Ltd. is its preferred bidder in the ongoing discussions concerning the possible sale of Volvo Car Corporation.

The FINANCIAL -- While the Concept Kizashi series debuted globally over the past two years, (in Frankfurt, Tokyo and New York), U.S. anticipation for the production Kizashi was met by a number of custom builders – and members of Suzuki management – asking the proverbial “what if?”

The FINANCIAL -- Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK), America’s most active driller of new natural gas wells and one of its largest natural gas producers, on October 28 confirmed its previous announcements that it has no intention of drilling natural gas wells within the New York City watershed.

The FINANCIAL -- The Board of Directors of Exxon Mobil Corporation2 (NYSE:XOM) on October 28 declared a cash dividend of 42 cents per share on the Common Stock, payable on December 10, 2009 to shareholders of record of Common Stock at the close of business on November 12, 2009.