Cement sales in Saudi Arabia increased 16.5 per cent YoY to 4.75Mt in November 2020, driven by the Ministry of Housing’s programmes, according to NCB Capital Co.

On a monthly basis, local cement sales edged up by 0.7 per cent in November, reaching the second-highest monthly figure since January 2017.

Clinker production was down 0.8 per cent MoM to 4.3Mt, but cement production saw a modest rise of 1.1 per cent to 5Mt.

Clinker exports surged 85 per cent YoY to 490,000t, while the country’s clinker inventory fell for the seventh consecutive month to 38.4Mt. Cement exports reached 179,000t in November, against 225,000t in October 2020 and 192,000t in November 2019.