The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Uber Technologies forecast adjusted profit below Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, as driver shortages, higher fuel costs and the Middle East conflict weighed on ride-hailing growth in markets ranging from India and Brazil to Canada. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says Uber is responding by spending more to recruit and retain drivers, a cost that will be watched closely because it comes as the company also funds a major push into autonomous vehicles and a string of acquisitions. Shares of the ride-hailing company were down in premarket trading. Uber forecast fourth-quarter adjusted profit of 95 cents to 99 cents per share, below estimates of $1.06 per share (all figures U.S.) The company said the Middle East conflict was a 75-basis-point drag on Mobility bookings growth and that it assumes a 100-basis-point hit in the fourth quarter. Uber expects adjusted core profit of $3.13-billion to $3.23-billion compared with estimates of $3.19-billion. Third-quarter revenue of $14.77-billion grew 10 per cent and was the slowest since the first quarter of 2021, but it topped estimates of $14.69-billion. Delivery bookings grew 22 per cent and freight 35 per cent.