Consumption on the increase again

Developed Markets

The latest monthly data has seen continued growth in cement consumption across most of Western Europe. The UK (11.8%), Germany (6.7%) and France (2.7%) all saw their cement consumption rise at an increased rate compared with the previous month’s data. Spain (-14%) experienced a continued fall in volume. The USA (1.5%) saw its volumes increase, the third monthly increase in succession. Likewise, the past three months have seen consumption increases in France, Germany and the UK compared with last year.

Emerging Markets

Eastern Europe

Russia experienced high rates of growth in June (20.7%), building on double-digit growth seen in the previous two months. After a difficult start to the year, volumes appear to be rising in Ukraine (2.1%). After a severe winter and some heavy spring flooding there was a significant increase in volumes in Poland (10.6%), but across the past three months there was a small decline in the country, while there was an increase in Ukraine (5.2%) and in Russia (18.8%).

South America

The latest data from the region indicates continued growth in Brazil (11.5%) and a slight fall in Argentinean consumption (-1%). Interesting to note that these figures were down from last month’s increases of 19% and 4% respectively. There were excellent increases during the past three months in Brazilian consumption (15.5%), with a smaller increase in Argentina (2.9%), but the largest increase in volumes over the past three months was in Bolivia (18.8%).

Asia and Africa

Asia and Africa saw monthly increases across most of the countries tracked by Jeffries International. Only Korea (-3.35%) saw a fall in volumes. Double-digit percentage growth was present in both Thailand (19.4%) and China (10.7%), while Egypt’s lagged data saw volumes increasing (5.9%).

The past three months displays growth in all the markets. Korea ( 0.3%) experienced the smallest increase. Egypt’s growth (5.2%) was higher, but still less than the figures seen in China (12.3%) and Thailand (12.9%). The lagged data from Indonesia (22.6%) saw double-digit percentage increases in volumes on a monthly and three month basis (14.3%).

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/26072010/consumption_on_the_increase_again/