Bayer shares were up on Wednesday

But so were the number of US plaintiffs mounting lawsuits against it.

42,700 is more than twice the tally in July ...

Potentially raising the level of any future settlement ...

With users of Round-up and other glyphosate weedkillers who blame them for their cancer.

Bayer has steadfastly argued that glyphosate is safe ...

Chief executive Werner Baumann even appeared in a special video in March.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CEO OF BAYER AG, WERNER BAUMANN, SAYING:

"We will continue to defend this product vigorously. Glyphosate also has an immense importance for the global food supply."

But it is the alleged impact on the food supply and the environment too

That has led to multiple protests against the German firm - including a "die-in" in France in May ....

And against Monsanto - who Bayer bought last year - and Round-up with it - for 63 billion dollars ...

Bayer's results for Q3 show a 7.5 per cent rise in earnings to around 2.6 billion dollars - in line with the market view.

A stock price which has lost around 30 per cent since August rose nearly two percent on its earnings news

As for its potential glyphosate liabilities: the first three US court rulings awarded tens of millions of dollars to each plaintiff.

Analysts currently estimate the size of a future settlement at eight to 12 billion dollars.