ExxonMobil’s record-breaking $20bn profit nearly matches Apple’s

Oil company's third-quarter result smashes Wall Street forecasts - as does Chevron's 11.2bn

The US oil supermajor ExxonMobil has reported a quarterly profit of nearly $20bn (17.3bn), $4bn more than analysts had forecast, almost matching the earnings of the tech giant Apple.

Exxon's $19.7bn profit for the third quarter outstripped the record $17.9bn it reported for the previous quarter, as it became the latest fossil fuel producer to enjoy soaring earnings, a day after Shell announced global profits of $9.5bn between July and September.