GOLDEN RULES FOR TRADING

Cement Stocks Outlook for the week – 02 to 06.05.2016 Seen trading in range with negative bias

Cement Stocks Outlook for the week – 02 to 06.05.2016
Seen trading in range with negative bias


Stocks of cement manufacturing companies are seen trading in a range with a negative bias next
week given the persistently weak demand for the building material in large parts of the country and
lower than estimated Jan-Mar earnings reported by some large companies. Around a fourth of the
country is facing water scarcity and drought, which has threatened agricultural output and rural
incomes, in turn making prospects of cement demand bleak.

Cement companies have also not been able to hike product prices much, adversely affecting their near term prospects of profitability. Though Ambuja Cements' sales volume growth is expected to
pick up as demand improves, the company would continue to lose market share in absence of
capacity increase. We expect Ambuja Cements' profitability to benefit from increasing pet coke
consumption and other cost improvement drives.