Shares of India's Axis Bank fell 3.7% on Friday, a day after the lender posted a smaller-than-expected quarterly profit increase, weighed down by slower loan growth and higher provisions set aside for potential bad loans.

Among the Sensex shares, it was the second worst performer and the biggest loser in the BSE Bankex, which dropped 1,026 points or 1.8%.

Gross slippages for the December quarter rose 22% sequentially and 46% annually to ₹5,432 crore, the bank said in statement detailing its quarterly results. Slippages to the tune of ₹4,923 crore were from the retail book,

India's Axis Bank reported a smaller-than-expected rise in third-quarter profit on Thursday, as it set aside more funds for potential bad loans amid a slight deterioration in asset quality. The country's fourth-largest private lender by market capitalisation said its standalone net profit - which excludes earnings of its subsidiaries - rose 4% to 63.