Petrol prices were reduced by eight paise on Friday, after rates remained unchanged for the last two days. A litre of petrol in Delhi cost Rs 76.35, down from Rs 76.43 on Thursday, the Indian Oil Corporation said on its website.

A litre of petrol was priced at Rs 79.02 in Kolkata, Rs 84.18 in Mumbai and Rs 79.24 in Chennai. Petrol prices have dropped by Rs 1.94 since June 1.

However, diesel prices remained the same across all four metropolitan cities, with a litre costing Rs 67.85 in Delhi, Rs 70.40 in Kolkata, Rs 72.24 in Mumbai and Rs 71.62 in Chennai. Diesel prices were last reduced on Tuesday, by 10 paise.

Fuel rates had breached record highs before dropping by 1 paisa per litre on May 30. They have continued to fall after that.

State-run oil companies resumed the dynamic pricing mechanism on May 14 after prices were frozen for 19 days between April 24 and May 13, when campaigning was on for the Karnataka Assembly elections. Oil companies are estimated to have lost about Rs 500 crore in the period because of the freeze.