Peruvian producer Cementos Pacasmayo reported a 3.5 per cent increase in cement sales volumes for the first six months of the year, exceeding the national average of 0.84 per cent.

Consolidated sales increased 2.9 per cent YoY in the first half of 2014. Higher cement sales and a 57.2 per cent increase in quicklime dispatches were offset by a decline in concrete sales.

Gross profit fell 4.1 per cent mainly due to the temporary imports of clinker and the fall in concrete demand. Net income increased 18 per cent in the first six months to the end of June 2014 mainly due to a lower net loss from exchange rates.