Halliburton Co., the world’s biggest provider of fracking work, posted its best earnings for a first quarter in a dozen years despite a shrinking business in the shale patch. The company that helps oil explorers around the globe drill and complete new wells reported quarterly earnings of $679 million, excluding certain items, it said Tuesday in a statement. International sales grew 12% while North America revenue fell 8% compared to a year earlier. Shares fell 1.2% at 9:38 a.m. in New York trading. “Our customers’ multi-year activity plans across markets and asset types confirms my confidence in the strength and ... (full story)