Russian state gas giant PAO Gazprom reported a smaller-than-expected loss for the third quarter of last year, with the weak ruble boosting export revenues even as it caused a foreign-exchange loss. Worse may be to come for Gazprom, a centerpiece of President Vladimir Putin’s energy-fueled state, given that oil prices, which natural gas prices are tied to, have plunged again since last summer. Gazprom Friday said it swung to a net loss of 2 billion rubles ($26 million) in the three months to end-September from net profit of 106 billion rubles in the same period last year, weighed down by a foreign-exchange loss of 400 billion rubles. Analysts surveyed by Interfax news agency had expected a net loss of 17.5 billion rubles. Revenue rose 14% to 1.29 trillion rubles from the same period the previous year on a higher ruble price for gas sales to Europe, Gazprom’s most lucrative […]