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Our Bureau

Mumbai, Nov. 3 After a lull in the last three months, cement sales seem to have picked up in October as real estate demand revived post-monsoon.

Holcim Group companies – ACC and Ambuja Cement – have registered a rise in their despatches in October.

ACC sales were up to 1.69 million tonnes (mt) from 1.63 mt recorded in September while its production rose to 1.71 mt from 1.64 mt.

Ambuja Cement despatches were up seven per cent at 1.46 mt (1.36 mt) and output rose to 1.50 mt (1.38 mt).

Though both the companies have added to their inventory, the improvement in demand will probably take care of it, said an analyst.

However, ACC sales were down marginally at 1.69 mt (1.70 mt) and production was down at 1.71 mt (1.74 mt).

Aditya Birla Group cement sales, which include Grasim Industries and UltraTech, sales rose 11 per cent to 2.819 mt compared to the same period last year. Production was up 12.5 per cent to 2.93 mt, the company said in a statement. The Group did not disclose its September performance.

ACC and Ambuja Cement closed higher by 2 and 0.74 per cent at Rs 748 and Rs 89 on Friday, while Grasim Industries and UltraTech Cement moved up two per cent and one per cent, respectively, at Rs 2,180 and Rs 769.

Shree Cement sales were up at 7.01 lakh tonnes (lt) against 6.80 lt recorded in September and it higher by 12 per cent year-on-year basis. JK Lakshmi Cement registered a nine per cent rise in output at 3.35 lt compared to 3.65 lt recorded in the same period last year, while sales rose seven per cent at 3.40 lt (3.63 lt).

Most of the cement company shares on BSE were down, as the benchmark Sensex shed 491 points on Tuesday. Shares of ACC and Ambuja Cement were down six and five per cent each at Rs 701 and Rs 85. Grasim Industries and UltraTech Cement fell 0.22 per cent and four per cent to Rs 2,176 and Rs 740, respectively. Shree Cement and JK Lakshmi Cement were down two per cent and one per cent at Rs 1,542 and Rs 122, respectively.

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