Oilfield services provider Baker Hughes Inc reported a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss, hurt by weak drilling activity and pricing, and said it did not expect a substantial recovery in North America this year. Baker Hughes, however, said it expected margins to improve across segments due to recent restructuring actions, including job cuts. The company’s shares rose 3.3 percent to $46 in premarket trading on Thursday. Baker Hughes’ bearish outlook contrasts those of bigger rivals Schlumberger Ltd and Halliburton Co. Schlumberger said the oil downturn appeared to have bottomed out, while Halliburton said it expected a “modest uptick” in North American rig count in the second half of 2016. “I believe oil prices in the upper $50s (per barrel) at a minimum are required for […]