Cement prices showed a monthly price increase of 3 to 5% in the country in January, led by increases in the eastern and southern regions.
The upward move followed weak demand that prevailed in November and a few weeks of December, which put pressure on cement companies. The prolonged rainfall in South India while the sand extraction problems in East India were some of the reasons for the weak demand for the period.
Cement companies have indicated signs of an improvement in demand as of mid-December, which will not support upward price trends. However, there is a chance that this could lead to an increase in cement prices in February.