Brazil: Cement sales were 6.1Mt in August 2026, representing a 2% year-on-year increase, according to the National Cement Industry Union (SNIC). Sales from January to August 2026 reached 45Mt, a 2% increase from the previous corresponding period. SNIC said that the result maintains the positive sales trajectory amidst a gradual slowdown in economic activity, but that high interest rates, household debt and lower consumer confidence point to a more cautious outlook for the coming months. SNIC noted instability linked to the new US import tariffs, cooling demand, and creating uncertainties surrounding economic slowdown and the start of the election cycle. It said that the cement sector remains optimistic about sales seasonality. Historically, cement sales improve during the second half of the year.
However, SNIC president Paulo Camillo Penna noted that proposed labour law changes could ‘significantly’ increase the industry’s operating costs.