Essar Oil posts Rs 26-crore net: Essar Oil Ltd has posted a net profit of Rs 25.85 crore in the first nine months of the current fiscal a gain of 52 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year. The total income for the third quarter stood at Rs 54.42 crore while the net profit was Rs 4.51 crore. The gross profit for the third quarter was Rs 9.97 crore. The corresponding figures for the thirdquarter of the preious year were not available.

Cheminor Drugs turnover at Rs 55 crore: Cheminor Drugs Ltd, part of the Dr Reddy's group has recorded a 49 per cent growth in its turnover for the third quarter of fiscal 1998-99. The company has posted a turnover of Rs 55.21 crore during the period. The net profit increased to Rs 5.75 crore from Rs 43 lakh in the previous year's corresponding period. The cumulative turnover for the first nine months of the year now stands at Rs 150.65 crore as compared to Rs 101.01 crore in the first nine months of 1997-98. The company has attributed the increase in turnover to an 80 per cent increase in exports to the US and other regulated markets.

Godrej Foods net loss at Rs 42 lakh: Godrej Foods Ltd has posted a net loss of Rs 41.74 lakh in the third quarter period ended December 31, 1998, on net sales of Rs 111.10 crore. During the nine month period ended December 1998, net profit stood at Rs 2.48 crore on net sales of Rs 336.91 crore.

DFPCL net up27% to Rs 33 crore: Deepak Fertiliser and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd (DFPCL) has posted a 27 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 33.26 crore in the quarter ended December 1998, from Rs 26.24 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Net sales during the period increased 81 per cent to Rs 217.49 crore from Rs 120.12 crore in the same period last year. Sales turnover includes trading operations of Rs 102.06 crore for the period. The company said that about 6,000 tonne of imported DAP was damaged following the cyclone and torrential rains at Kandla. The company's insurance claim in this respect has been rejected and a suit has been filed in the US court for recovery of the same.

Deepak Nitrite Ltd has posted a ,,per cent drop in net sales to Rs 37.90 crore during the period as against Rs 40.81 crore in the same period last year.

Narmada Cement net loss at Rs 24 crore: Narmada Cement has suffered a net loss of Rs 23.92 crore in the first nine months of the current fiscal, as against a Rs5.83 crore in the 1997-98 fiscal. The October-December quarter contributed losses aggregating Rs 9.62 crore. The company, which will soon be taken over by Larsen & Toubro, has recorded a turnover of Rs 90.75 crore in the first nine months, with the third quarter contributing only Rs 21.07 crore. The company's Magdalla unit, which was shut down due to unremunerative prices, has resumed operations, Narmada Cement has said.

GM unveils Astra Club: As part of the centenary celebrations of Opel, General Motors India has introduced the Opel Astra model year 1999 and a premium version the Astra Club. The Astra Club will cost a lakh more than the year 1999 model. The 1999 model will in turn cost Rs 5,000 more than the previous year's (1998) model. The Astra Club model will come with an electric sun roof, special club alloy wheels and a Blaupunkt CD changer with a six speaker system. The year 1999 model will have additional features to the 1998 model in the form of new seats, a Blaupunkt CD compatible stereoas standard fitment and exclusive new colours-Nautilus Blue and Marseilles Red.

MTNL receives threat: The Bombay Telephone Users Association has threatened to take MTNL to court for having failed to implement the Supreme Court directive to publish directories annually. The association had earlier written to MTNL, which had in its reply said that the delay was at the contractor's end. The association has, however, rejected this contention of the sole service provider in the city and has threatened to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the company.

DRI officer bags award: Intelligence officer at the DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence), Jacob Abraham, has received an appreciation certificate from the President of India. The award recognises the officer's "specially distinguished record of service".

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries net at Rs 15 cr: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries has posted a net profit of Rs 15.4 crore in the third quarter, a 37 per cent rise from thecorresponding quarter last year. Total sales in the first nine months shot up 29 per cent to Rs 243.27 crore, while operating profit zoomed 46 per cent to Rs 47.99 crore. Net profit was 12 per cent higher at Rs 42.07 crore in the first nine months, as against Rs 37.42 crore in the same period last year.