What follows is a roundup of corporate earnings reports for Thursday,  Nov. 12.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prudential Financial Inc <PRU.N>, the No. 2 U.S. life insurer, said on Wednesday it had a third-quarter profit, reversing a year earlier loss, on record annuity sales and better performance in its investment portfolios.

Prudential Financial Inc., an insurance and investment company, on Wednesday posted its second straight quarterly profit, buoyed by market gains and strong sales of its investment products.

What follows is a roundup of corporate earnings reports for Wednesday, Nov. 4.

By Lilla Zuill

Britain's Prudential is studying a possible public offering in Hong Kong or Shanghai, becoming the latest multinational interested in listing in the fast-growing region, media reported on Thursday.

Prudential Financial Inc. said Tuesday its board has approved giving shareholders an advisory vote on executive compensation, a so-called Say on Pay, that many companies have adopted in the face of criticism of soaring executive pay.

Stocks ended lower Wednesday as the rally after the Federal Reserve's statement faded and investors began to worry that the central bank is inching closer to withdrawing stimulus measures that have propped up the economy. The Dow had briefly popped above 9,900.

Lloyds Bank topped the FTSE 100 Monday, jumping 6.3 percent, with the banking sector in Europe pulling indexes up after reports that CIT Group has worked out a solution to escape bankruptcy.

The sick business of betting against people’s lives.

The federal government has agreed to extend billions in bailout funds to six major life insurers, helping them shore up their capital positions after major investment losses.

Stocks flopped Friday, capping a dismal week, as bank stocks pulled back after recent gains.

Stocks opened flat Friday as investors were encouraged by a pair of better-than-expected manufacturing readings but dismal economic data out of Europe and weak U.S. retail reports capped gains.

Futures pared losses Friday after a pair of better-than-expected manufacturing readings.