Private sector lender RBL Bank on Saturday reported a 555 per cent jump in the December quarter net profit to Rs 214 crore, helped by a steep decline in provisions. The lender, which is set to receive a USD 3 billion fund infusion from Emirates NBD Bank, had reported a net profit of Rs 33 crore in the year-ago period and Rs 179 crore in the preceding June quarter. Its core net interest income grew 5 per cent to Rs 1,657 crore on the back of a 14 per cent increase in advances and a 0.12 per cent growth in net interest margin to 4.63 per cent. The bank's managing director and chief executive R Subramaniakumar said the tweaks in deposit rates and a shift in advances book helped expand the margins, and added that it is expected to widen further in the upcoming quarters despite the 0.25 per cent rate cut by the RBI. The overall deposits grew 12 per cent during the quarter, he said, adding that on the lending front, it recorded an increase in unsecured book for the first time in many ...