Strong earnings growth in June quarter expected

Brokerages expect most cement companies to ann­ounce healthy earnings for April-June 2012 due to decline in input prices and strong demand for cement amid delayed monsoon. Demand peaked in May after a tepid March-April, when several northern states were hit hard owing to sand shortage, which eventually led to a decline in construction activities. Companies used this opportunity to liquidate their piled up inventories together and the industry was able to sell 20.25 mn tonne compared with 17.9 mn tonne last year.