RIL shares slump 5% on weak Q3 numbers

Shares of Reliance Industries tanked nearly 5% in morning trade today as the company reported the first drop in quarterly profit in more than two years due to falling refining margins.

As a reaction to weak third quarter numbers announced after market hours on Friday, shares opened on a weak note and fell further to a low of Rs 756, down 4.70% from its previous closing price.

On the National Stock Exchange, RIL opened fell by 4.72% to Rs 755.20.

The country's most-valued firm reported a 13.6% fall in October-December net profit as refining margins fell sharply and reservoir complexity pulled down gas output.

RIL had announced a buyback of shares worth up to Rs 10,440 crore in what would be largest such programme in the history of the Indian capital market.

Analysts said that besides weak numbers they were also disappointed with the size of the buyback, which represented 3.7% of the company's equity capital.

RIL had in December, 2004, offered to buyback 10% of its equity at Rs 570 per share.

The scrip however, later gained some lost ground and was trading at Rs 769.85, down by 2.96% on the BSE and at Rs 769.95, lower by 2.86% on the NSE at 10:48 am.