Nalco posts second straight quarterly loss, its steepest since inception

Nalco despite being an integrated player was negatively impacted from fragile alumina prices

Softening international alumina prices and spike in costs of critical inputs led National Aluminium Company (Nalco) to post a loss before taxes of Rs 53.22 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2019 as against a profit before tax of Rs 470.05 crore the state-run producer registered in the comparable period of FY19.

Nalco's net loss (after taxes) stood at Rs 33.96 crore in Q3 of FY20, the company's steepest since it started commercial operations. In the same period of FY19, the Navratna company had recorded Rs 301.76 crore net profit, riding on buoyant alumina prices. Alumina prices in FY19