Inability to raise prices to limit cement companies' gains in June quarter
Indian cement makers may report limited benefits in June quarter on lower input costs and strong demand, as increased competition has prevented companies from raising prices. While the March quarter is the strongest for cement makers, onset of monsoon rains in the June quarter generally leads to a quarter-on-quarter fall in volume and pricing. This year, though, the sequential fall in volume is estimated to be 2-4% as against a 7-10% fall that is generally the trend, analysts said.