Saudi Arabia: Cement companies in Saudi Arabia recorded a 16% increase in sales in April 2011, the highest in more than a year. Domestic cement sales grew to 4.2Mt in April 2011, compared with 3.6Mt in the same period of 2010. Private projects, notably those for housing and schools boosted demand for the material.

"In 2010 people were very wary. The last thing they wanted to do was commit money, but now the outlook is looking brighter," said Farouk Miah, an analyst at NCB Capital in Riyadh. "There is also a lot of activity for plans to develop the rest of the country, in Makkah, Madina and Jeddah," he added.

Saudi Arabia is expected to need two million more homes by 2014 to keep up with the demands of a population that has quadrupled in 40 years. Shares of cement companies have already had a decent run in 2011, up an average of 24% over the same period of 2010.

It is expected that Saudi Cement, Southern Province Cement and Yamama Cement should benefit from the demand because they have the largest volume. Smaller cement companies, which are already running at full capacity, will be less well positioned to benefit.