LONDON: Shell's refining profit margins dropped sharply in the third quarter from the previous three months, while oil product trading earnings also weakened, it said on Monday.

In a trading update ahead of its quarterly results on Oct. 31, Shell said its indicative refining margins dropped to $5.5 a barrel in the three months to the end of September from $7.7 a barrel in the previous period.

Trading results for its chemicals and oil products division were expected to be lower than in the second quarter, Shell said.

 - Reuters