IOC, HPCL, BPCL may post 2nd consecutive quarterly loss in July-Sept

State-owned oil marketing companies IOC, BPCL and HPCL may for the first time ever post the second consecutive quarterly loss with a combined loss of Rs 21,270 crore in July-September, on holding petrol and diesel prices below the cost of production.

The three state-owned firms — Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), had in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (April-June) posted a combined loss of Rs 18,480 crore due to erosion in the marketing margin on petrol, diesel and domestic LPG.