Earnings roundup: Halliburton, Abbott Labs

Among the earnings stories for Wednesday, Oct. 17, from The Associated Press:

_ Halliburton Co. said a decline in revenue in its core North America market was largely responsible for a 12 percent decline in third-quarter profit.

_ Drug and medical device maker Abbott Laboratories reported higher third-quarter profit Wednesday, edging past analyst expectations, even as revenue slipped.

_ Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. said its third-quarter net income and revenue grew thanks to growing demand for its Internet security software.

_ Shares of UniFirst Corp. rose after the uniform company said that its fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose 25 percent, although it issued a modest full-year forecast due to concerns about high unemployment.