Spanish cement demand rises 4.7 per cent in1Q

Demand for cement in Spain rose 4.7 per cent YoY in the first quarter to 11.4Mt as the construction industry continued to expand, sector association Oficemen said.

The association said demand would tend to stabilise over the next three years and would be supported by the new Socialist government’s pledge to make 180,000 homes a year available at affordable prices for Spanish families. A booming housing market has made it difficult for first-time buyers to get into the property market, prompting the government to make the promise.  Oficemen said another government pledge, to launch a new long-term national infrastructure plan, would also be favourable to the cement market.